Path of Destruction
by KoolKatLottie123
Summary: It's been two years since Monroe and her hunters were chased off and left Beacon Hills in peace. But suddenly, the scale has tipped for the worse side, and a new enemy has arrived. With the original pack scattered, can Theo and Liam put aside their dislike long enough to form a makeshift pack? And what of the mysterious new girl with the troubled past? (Pictures go to owners)
1. Chapter 1: Shadows

_~Path of Destruction~_

 **Chapter 1: Shadows**

I pulled the strings of my gray hoodie tighter, attempting to hold in any warmth left, and avoided shivering as I watched the raindrops fall. Keeping close to the brick walls, I refused to look back into the abyss of black behind me, though the hairs on the back of my neck warned me of being followed.

I couldn't let my fear of Damian cloud my judgement. He wasn't here, not yet anyway.

Quickly, I darted into a vibrantly lit area and pushed my back against the wall, acting nonchalant.

There.

In the darkness, I spotted a silhouette ducking into an alley, as if to avoid me noticing. _"Too late,"_ I thought.

I had hoped that the path I'd taken would lead to an open area, but of course, it led right to another set of paths to choose.

"End, damn you," I grumbled, feeling more tense as I went, walking faster without thinking. "Come on, don't freak out, don't look obvious," I murmured to myself.

Finally, a street light shone at the end of my current path, and without thinking, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Someone was still following me.

My spine tingled with the need to turn around. I found myself walking even faster, desperate for light. I hadn't expected a figure in front of me as I quickly rounded the corner, and taken off guard, I landed a solid punch to the person's face.

The person fell back, holding the wounded area. "Holy crap, oooooowwwch!" He exclaimed. I hadn't expected this guy to be so young sounding. "I'm so sorry!" I said, reaching down to offer a hand, "I wasn't expecting you to be there, I'm sorry!" "Ugh," he complained, taking my hand, "no worries. Sorry I scared you. What's your name?"

My flags went up immediately, and I curved inward on myself. "What's YOUR name?" I countered. To my surprise, the guy chuckled, and while rubbing his nose, said, "Mason. Mason Hewitt." He held out his hand.

Cautiously, I reached forward and took his hand, giving it a single firm shake, and replied, "Rachel."

The name tasted wrong, and that's because it was, but only I would know that. Once I blew off this town as well, they would only know me as the girl they met one time. "Where did you come from?" I asked, then startled as another figure emerged from the shadows. "Whoa! He's okay!" Mason said as I began to back up.

"Is your nose okay?" The guy asked sweetly, unfolding Mason's hands from around his nose to look at it. The guy looked like a 13 year old, but it was obvious that he was older, and he offered me a sweet, humored smile. It took me a second to realize they were together, and it was confirmed when the guy gave Mason's nose a quick kiss. "Better?" He asked, and Mason nodded.

"Welcome to Beacon Hills, Rachel. I'm Corey." The other guy said. "Thanks," I said, completely done with this situation before more people began to show up. Who knows what this town held.

I backed up and quickly walked in the other direction, but I heard their footsteps follow. _Please, please do not make me hurt you two,_ I begged in my head. Caught up in my thoughts, I almost walked slam into another, much taller and sturdier figure, to whom I went to land a kick to.

He caught my leg, keeping hold before asking, "What the hell is your problem, woman?" "The creepy men spawning from every open alleyway around, now leave me alone!" I said forcefully, and shoved him away.

I heard the three of them start talking, and tried to calm my terrified heart, but thankfully, their voices did not follow.

 _"Breathe,"_ I silently reminded myself, but to my surprise, instead of a relieved sigh, it came out with a sob and I sternly told myself not to cry, not right now. These attacks came suddenly sometimes, and out of nowhere. It made me realize just how scared I had been previously. I softly covered my mouth and took several slow deep breaths, pushing my back hard against a random wall that I'd found myself resting on.

"Don't be an idiot," I whispered to myself, "it's been six years, and you're still alive. Don't lose it over three guys and a creepy alleyway."

I cupped my hands under the edge of the tin roof and let water pool into the palms. My hands were nearly white with cold, but I ignored them, and used the fresh rainwater to wash the tear tracks from my face. I couldn't afford to be weak or distracted; I had to stay focused and attentive.

Once I had ahold of myself again, I darted back into the shadows, where I'd called home for years, and would probably call home for several more...

Until Damian found me, and kept his promise.

 ****Holy. Crap. Guys, I have missed you! You have no idea what hell has been going on with my computer! Okay, so I know I promised you guys a new story, and it was happening. I wrote 6 chapters and was planning to upload within the next day, and my computer wiped itself. I lost everything, and it took forever to get it back up. As if that wasn't bad enough, what I use to type was also wiped from my computer, hindering my ability to write even further. That story WILL eventually come back, but for now, I've started this one and will have to come back from all the progress I lost on the other.**

 **Can you guys believe Teen Wolf is over? How many of you cried? I know I did! I thank every single one of you for reading and please forgive my absence! Please, leave a review also telling me what you think! Everyone have a fantastic day!****


	2. Chapter 2: Friend or Foe?

**Chapter 2: Friend? Or Foe?**

I jumped awake when I felt a hand on my shoulder, struggling to get them focused before even so much as blinking. "Whoa, whoa, slow down there," a gentle, fatherly voice said, and the hand rested on my shoulder once again. I pulled away without thinking, trying to back up into the pile of garbage I'd slept on last night. Thank goodness I'd managed to find a blanket.

"What are you doing sleeping in the garbage, sweetheart?" He asked. I took exactly three seconds to assess his outfit. Officer. Not just officer, but sheriff. His badge winked at me from just above his shirt pocket, his gun safely holstered on his belt, and kind blue eyes studied me.

"Uh..." I got out groggily, unable to come up with an explanation and wanting nothing more than to sprint far away. "Are you lost?" I cleared my throat and stretched, feeling sore from the not so supportive bag I'd slept against. "Yes and no, sir. I'm not trying to cause trouble."

He opened his mouth to say something when gunshots rang from out of nowhere, pelting the side of his car and an unfortunate passerby on the street. He had covered me with his body, and I bit my lip to keep from losing it, but just like that, it was over just as fast as it had begun. He stood up and ran to the person bleeding on the ground, who had managed to survive the attack and was groaning.

I knew what to do.

"Sir, do you have a needle and thread?" "What?" "Needle. Thread. Do you have some?" He nodded then, jumping up and snatching open the glovebox in his patrol vehicle. Within seconds, he had a small needle and sturdy thread in my hands and I went to the person.

The wound was on his left shoulder, and I could tell from the two separate holes in his sweater that the bullet had gone straight through. "You're lucky," I commented to the man, who passed out in response. "Well, that will make this easier."

I pulled out the lighter I kept on me and burned the needle for sterilization, then threaded it and pushed the needle through the wounded tissue. Thankfully, his blood had begun to clot before I'd started. Once I had the tissue on both sides sealed, the ambulance showed up. "That was very brave of you, miss," the sheriff said. I shrugged, and let my eyes search the cracks in the pavement.

"Are you new here?" Another, younger officer asked. "Yes," I said softly, "but not for long. I'm just passing through." I didn't like the suspicious looks that they gave me, and without another word, I turned and bolted down the alleyway, and my heart thundered when I heard footsteps behind me. I dodged through every alleyway that I found, and eventually, I lost them. I clapped a hand over my mouth when I heard the dispatch radio close by to keep from exclaiming in surprise.

" _Did you find her?!"_ It screeched. Light static, then a reply, "No, I think I lost her." _"She's too suspicious. Innocent people don't just run like that. Find her, deputy."_ "Ten-four."

"Shit," I mumbled. I decided at this point, the alleyway wasn't a good bet anymore, and carefully I snuck around, trying to not leave any footprints in the dirt or disturb any metal cans on the ground.

I crept slowly to the corner, preparing to take off into the woods nearby, only to run slap into a girl about my age, who, with a stern look, put a finger to her lips and grabbed my arm, hauling me into the destination that I'd chosen moments ago. My heart hammered into my ribcage from being startled, but I kept quiet until we got to a decent place before carefully removing my arm from her grasp.

"Um, thanks…for that. Why did you help me?" I asked, trying not to sound too suspicious, but ending up not doing so. "I've had my run-ins with the law, and you don't look at fault for anything. You're welcome." She said, putting her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket and walking on. I went after her.

"Still, helping strangers? You don't look the type, no offense." "Generally, you'd be right about that," she smirked, "but you strike me as someone who could use a break."

Immediately, I tensed. Could she be someone that Damian hired? Was she leading me to a trap?

"What's your name?" She asked to fill the silence. "Rachel," I said almost inaudibly.

"You're lying."

Terror ripped through me, and without a second thought, I spun on my heel and bolted through the woods. Briars caught my ankles, twigs whipped my hands and cheeks as I ran, out of breath from panic before I'd even started. Tears had sprung to my eyes, and I felt them escaping as the wind turned them icy on my cheeks.

It felt as though I'd ran for hours, and with no clear destination, I found myself stuck in an endless maze of dead trees and fallen leaves. I finally sat against the trunk of one of the trees and took short, shaky breaths.

If she did work for Damian, I couldn't have made it more obvious that it was me. If she was one of his cohorts, I'd be dead by evening.

Why was I even trying?

He'd been after me for six years, like I'd become the prize to all his hard work. There was no stopping him. He always found a way to escape imprisonment, and he always caught a lead straight to me. Was six years enough of running?

I couldn't stop the terrible, nightmarish memories that spilled through me for the millionth time. Shaking, I recalled the night that would change my life, and my identity, forever…

 _It was cold that night, colder than usual for a Georgia evening. I'd been out studying, late again, at the library because there was an upcoming final that would make or break my ability to graduate. Keeping up with any activity was hard when Damian was around._

 _I knew Mom and Dad would have the fire going, so a nice, warm house would be welcoming. I hurried up the stairs…I could still hear the sound of my feet rushing up the wooden planks…_

 _When I opened the door, everything was too quiet, and I knew in my gut that I should turn around and leave. But I didn't. Instead, I shut the door and listened. For a sound, any sound, and was rewarded with the noise that would haunt my dreams forever._

 _My mother's pained, bloodcurdling scream. It pierced my eyes and made goosebumps rise on my skin. It made my heart stop. "Mother?" I had squeaked, only to be answered with my father's yelp of terror and pain. "Daddy?" I whispered._

 _The lights were all out, and I could barely see my hand in front of my face. But the flicker from a wall lamp in the den shown from under the closed door between the room and me. So quietly, I snuck to the door and pushed it open, without as much as a creak._

 _A loud thump, followed by a sound like sloshing, came from the dining room to my left. I hadn't realized until then that I'd been holding my breath and my chest ached with the need for air. "Da…mi…" I heard my father struggle to say. Another thump._

 _Finally, air came rushing painfully back into my lungs with sudden panic and in that state, I stumbled to the archway of the dining room. Cold fear iced through my veins._

 _Damian, his face, hands and clothes red and dripping, sat on his knees over our parents, drenched in their blood. Our parents, lifeless on the floor with their faces frozen in permanent horror over what their son had done to them. Damian's hands were filled with torn flesh and blood, and I swore his eyes were crazier than I'd ever seen._

 _Suddenly, anger consumed me. "DAMIAN, HOW COULD YOU!" Like screaming all my rage at him would affect this monster._

 _He said nothing, but slowly stood, his arms twitching, his eyes insane, and a smile on his blood colored lips. Silently, he leisurely raised his arm to point at me._

" _You're next…"_

"No!" I screamed.

I hadn't realized that I'd fallen asleep, but I quickly became awake when I met the eyes of the girl from earlier. "I know. Nightmares suck." She said, kicking at a rock buried within the soil. "Who are you? Why did you look for me?" I asked, feeling defeated.

"Because this is Beacon Hills, and you don't just stroll into these woods. They last forever, and are home to some dangerous animals." She waltzed over and bent down beside me. "Were you drawn here?"

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. "Why did you come here?" "I'm just passing through." "No one just passes through Beacon Hills. You're either here to stay, or you're here to cause trouble." "I'm not. I'm just…"

She calculated my silence and watched my face.

"Alright," she said, "so, you're here temporarily. I believe that, but do you know what I don't believe?" I gulped and asked, "What?"

"Your name is not Rachel. So, if your name is not Rachel, that means you're hiding something, and hiding something implies that you're either trouble, or you're IN trouble. Which is it?" She stared hard at me.

"In trouble." She nodded and stood, reaching a hand down to me and pulled me up.

"Okay, _Rachel_ ," she said, "My name is Cora Hale. I'm here temporarily trying to figure out some things. We can be friends, or we can be foes. That depends on you." "I prefer friends, though you won't know me long enough for that."

She smiled and shook my hand.

"We'll see."

 ****I hope you guys all like how this is going! There is a lot in store for this story! Have a good day!****


	3. Chapter 3: A New Beginning

"Your stitching handiwork is fantastic. Where did you learn to do that?"

"Oh, I, um, took some classes before I left home to study another subject elsewhere. I…wanted to broaden my skills in different things."

I hoped that the lie would come off convincingly, and so far, the nurse seemed to be accepting it. She nodded approvingly, her dark curls bouncing with the movement. I didn't think she'd be too keen on hearing why I was actually really good at it.

I had learned decent things when staying with a gang member and his family when I was between the ages of sixteen and seventeen. I never did stay in one place for very long, or around people that I could get attached to. But I knew these folks could tend to themselves in the case that Damian found them and allowed myself to stay longer than two to three months. It had been the longest I'd stayed in any one place and with any family. I'd ditched being taken in by families shortly before my eighteenth birthday and had remained alone and practically unnoticed until Beacon Hills.

Now, I had been here for about three weeks. I learned that this woman I was talking to was named Melissa McCall, and her name alone seemed to bring either fondness or fright, depending on who I mentioned it to. And much to my disbelief, word had gotten around via the sheriff throughout the hospital that the new girl in town could stitch a wound, and Melissa had wanted to meet me. I had been hesitant, as a job meant sharing out my false information, but the money was too good to pass up, especially when I'd be leaving soon and without a trace, Damian would never know I was here…hopefully.

Melissa slid purple, rubber gloves on, the snapping noise startling me from my thoughts. As part of the deal, they'd demanded she do a quick physical to make sure my sight, hearing and all that were well and functioning. "Have you ever visited Beacon Hills before?" She asked.

I knew she was simply trying to make light conversation, so I swallowed hard my uncertainty and spoke. "No. I am hoping that this will be the right place to maybe start something new." Every word tasted like poison. I hated lying, even though I'd been doing it for years, I hated it.

"Well, you certainly pulled this place out of nowhere. This is a good town, with decent people as far as it goes. I moved here with my son many years ago." "Oh yeah?" I asked, being into the conversation for once. It was nice to just _chat_ with someone. It had been nice getting an occasional dose of it here and there, but I couldn't relay too much information to someone for fear that it would turn sour.

"Yeah," she gave a soft chuckle, "he's all grown up now. Twenty-two years old. He's gone off to college to become a veterinarian. Thank goodness I adopted two others along the way." "Wow, that takes a very caring person. I…admire you for that." She smiled and winked before going to check my eyes, ears, throat and upper respiratory. "Legally, I guess only one adoption took place, the other just spends time around me and I call him mine. His father is one of my colleagues." I nodded in response.

"Do you have trouble with anxiety, Rachel?" She asked, slipping the gloves off once she finished. "…Sometimes." I sheepishly admitted. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. We all have weaknesses, and we can overcome them. My son used to have to deal with terrible asthma. One way or another, we all find ways to cope with it, and you're just fine."

I didn't have the heart to tell her why I struggled with it all, so I nodded again, this time with a small smile. "Well," she said, "everything looks all good. I think you'd be a good addition. You'll be a CNA, and my personal aide. I'll teach you things, and ask as many questions as you want. You can start in a week if that suits you." "Sounds good, ma'am, I appreciate your time." "No problem, see you around."

I shoved my hands in my pockets and strode out of the building. Cora would be around here somewhere, or at least that's what she had promised when I went in.

"Cora?" I called. I came around the side of the building and saw her. She was chatting with a younger looking guy, which didn't seem all that concerning until I saw the other people with him. I recognized three of them.

It was Mason, Corey and the other buff, tall guy from the first night I was here. I tried not to let terror take hold, but I was caught when I turned quickly to walk off. "Hold up!" Cora yelled, running quickly to meet me. She was followed by the four guys who kept a generous distance. "I'm sorry I interrupted, I'll let you be," I said, trying to exit this situation quickly, but Cora caught my jacket and held me there.

"You didn't interrupt. Actually, I was just talking about introducing you." I cringed inwardly, but brushed it off on the outside and met the four pairs of eyes staring at me. "Some of us have already met. It's…nice to see you again?" I said.

"Yes, hello again Rachel," Mason said, holding out his hand. I shook it a little more warmly this time, but still kept it brief. "So, Corey and Mason I know. I hope your nose is okay." I said, trying not to let pink slide up into my cheeks. "Never better!" Mason chuckled, taking Corey's hand.

"Liam Dunbar," the first guy said, reaching out and giving my hand a sturdy squeeze. His blue eyes showed buried hostility, though it didn't appear to be aimed at me, but his youthful appearance didn't match that. He was on the shorter side, but definitely not petite, as his handshake had said earlier.

"Rachel Brodie," I said. Without letting go of my hand, he spoke again, "You're new in town. What brings you?"

"Come off it Dunbar, you'll turn her off to this place before her time here even begins."

This came from the tall guy with the swept brown hair and hazel eyes.

Liam released my hand and, without turning to face the guy, replied, "Theo, if you could shut up for two seconds straight, that would be really, REALLY nice."

I felt uncomfortable suddenly, like at any moment, Liam would pounce on him. The one I now knew as Theo gave a sly half smile, which pissed me off almost instantly. I knew his type.

I had the urge to spit on him when he held his own hand out to me, but I held it in and took it. "Theo Raeken," he said, giving a small wink with it. I felt my hand go still in his and replied coldly, "Rachel."

I would have given up the winning lottery ticket to smack that smirk off his face. I heard Cora stifle a giggle and caught sight of Liam grinning. "What is so funny?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed. "Nothing sweetheart," Theo said playfully, making me grind my teeth, "they just like that I'm getting the usual response."

"And you're proud of that?" I growled. "Beyond."

Fed up with it all, I turned to Cora and said, "I think I'm going to go for a walk. Want to come?" She nodded, and the others all turned, save Liam.

"You guys go ahead. I'm going to stick around and get to know Rachel a little better." I wasn't sure why his words put me a little on edge, but I hoped it wasn't because Damian was involved. There's no telling who Damian would find to help hunt me down.

Quietly, I watched as the others walked off, returning Corey's wave and rolling my eyes at Theo's wink. "Y'know," Liam said, "all that does is make him be a bigger dick. Theo isn't one to take a hint." I met Liam's eyes to find him smiling. "I guessed," I said, already feeling better being in his presence.

"Sorry if I came across as creepy or unwelcoming. I've just been dealing with a lot lately." "No problem," I said in earnest, "very few of us would say we haven't felt the same." He nodded and began walking. Cora stopped me as I started with him. "I've got some errands to run, are you going to be okay with him?"

The fact that she cared at all mattered a huge deal to me. I felt a connection to her then, which frightened me and relieved me at the same time. "Yes, I should be. He seems harmless." "He has problems with anger sometimes, but he's not mean spirited. Just be careful. Have a good walk." "Thanks, you too."

"So," I said to Liam once I reached him again, "um, there's not going to be a girlfriend or anyone I'll piss off by walking with you alone, is there?" Liam chuckled, "No. My girlfriend left a few years ago with her sister. Wanted a better place to live." He had said years, but the pain on his face said eons. "I'm sorry. That's got to be tough. I wouldn't know. I'm too scared to tie myself down to anyone." "Been hurt before?" "Uh…yeah." I said.

Liam gave me a small smile before pushing his hands into his pockets. "So, Rachel," he spoke to me as if he'd known me forever, "what has been your opinion of Beacon Hills so far?" "Great, until I met your friend back there." Liam grimaced.

"He's not my friend. I don't even like him. No one does. He's just kind of the one who pushed his way into the group and we deal with him." I laughed.

The walk lasted for a couple hours as we rested here and there, talking like old buddies. It hurt to remember that this was temporary, and that within weeks, Liam would be just another good memory I had in the past.

In a big, lonely world, it was people like Liam, and like Cora, and even Melissa that kept people like me going on.

 ****Thank you guys for reading! I know it might be taking a bit to get into this, but it will pick up! It's strange to be in a place that you don't feel comfortable, but it's the people you meet who keep you standing. Please R &R! I hope everyone has a fantastic day!****


	4. Chapter 4: Alive

****This chapter will introduce a new POV! Enjoy!****

For the first time in six years, I did one of the simplest things in existence:

I stared at myself in the mirror.

I had been avoiding my reflection for so long, I had almost forgotten the things about myself that made me, well, me. I was temporarily staying with Cora in her apartment until I got my first paycheck and could get my own place, or the very least, a car. She was currently out, doing something with her friends, which left me alone with my thoughts. I had just showered and dried off when I caught sight of myself in the mirror above her sink.

Now, I was studying the features of my face. I'd all but lost who I was because I never had the time to slow down to rediscover my physical appearance. Obviously, I was more grown, though the hidden terror still shone in my eyes, just the same as when I'd been sixteen and freshly orphaned. With gentle remembrance, I took notice of the cornflower blue eyes that I received from my mother. I had her chin and nose as well. I remembered more than once seeing those eyes wink and those pretty pink lips smiling at me. They were nothing like the mysterious shade of brown my father, and brother, had.

Even though, until recently, I'd caught quick showers at random truck stops and rivers hidden in the woods for many years, my hair tumbled down almost to my waist in waves of toffee brown. I spent so much time with my hair tied up that I had failed to notice how long it was now, and I couldn't decide whether or not I liked it. Damian also had this hair color, which we had been given by our father. I chuckled remembering how I was so jealous of my mother's platinum blonde locks.

My skin was a soft brown, tanned by hours of walking underneath the sun's rays. Though I had pimples here and there, no other blemish marked my face. My face was rounder, like my mother's was, and I had a full mouth, rosy in color.

In a way, I felt pretty, something stupid that I hadn't had the luxury of discovering before. With my study complete, I moved to 'my' room in my robe to brush out my hair and get ready for bed. I heard the door open and shut, so I left to greet Cora, and was shocked to see Theo and Liam with her. I felt color rise to my cheeks, but it was too late to duck away. They had seen me.

Clearing my throat, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. "Sorry," I said, "I wasn't expecting Cora to bring back friends. I'll leave you guys to it. Good night." Cora chuckled and said, "They'll just be here for a bit to talk. Sorry I didn't warn you first, I'm not used to someone being here." "No, no, it's my fault. Good night." I said again, cringing as I turned to leave.

"Night!" She said, then went to mumbling with the other two. I flung myself on the mattress on the floor and buried my face in the pillow. The embarrassment only further reminded me of the one word I kept thinking over and over again as I looked into the mirror.

Alive.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

"We don't have a choice in the matter, we have to do what we have to do."

I was growing irritable with Liam's sideways suggestions of how we would handle the new threat in the area.

"We don't even know what it IS, Theo!" Liam growled, making my own temper flare, "We can't just assume something. We have to think like Scott would be thinking. One, what is the creature doing here and what is its purpose? Two, is it directly aiming for any one person or any one group, and three, what powers does it possess and how can we stop it?"

"We already know that it's causing trouble. We've already found two bodies, both with missing throats and green veins. But Deaton doesn't even know what this thing is. He's searching through books of mythology and digging deep into legends just to try and identify what kind of supernatural creature it is. Are there any ties between the two people we've found? What has the sheriff said?" Cora spoke.

"None that we know of. They weren't family, close or far, they were not even friends. I think the most we can say about them is that they shared one class in high school six years ago." I said, shaking my head.

Once again, my thoughts went back to the girl in Cora's spare bedroom. Her showing up here, at this exact time, couldn't be a coincidence. I strongly believed that she was the creature we sought, but Liam was being an absolute dumbass about it. I really hoped this idiot wasn't developing a case of puppy love that would get him killed. I certainly wasn't going to babysit him.

I had to admit though, if he WAS developing feelings, I could see why. I never noticed anyone who wasn't someone I saw constantly long enough to develop a sense of their appearance, but damn, this girl was something else. When she'd stepped in, inadvertently in her skimpy robe, even _my_ heart stopped for a second. She looked nothing like the scared little girl I'd encountered in the alleyway that night Liam, Mason, Corey and I had been stalking her. Her guarded air had made me more certain it was her, but Liam, of course, had to have facts.

"Well, we know two things so far: It's got a venomous bite and/or venomous claws and it has no direction of its anger. That means that simply anyway who gets in the way is a target, and that's not a killer we want to deal with coming straight at." Liam said, glaring at me.

I rolled my eyes, "Then what the hell do we do, Liam? We need to attack, and you won't. But if we don't, then more people will die. Isn't that, like, directly against your little 'code'?" I got satisfaction of watching the anger make his shoulders tense and his eyes go gold.

"That's enough, idiots. Listen!" Cora hissed, "What we need to directly focus on right now is making sure this creature doesn't hurt anyone else. We need to find ways to guard the people AND try to figure out what kind of supernatural it is so that we know how to stop it! That's assuming you guys stop measuring your dicks long enough to find out."

"Alright fine, we'll do it." I said, "But just know that I don't agree with this plan. I think it's stupid." "No one cares what you think, Theo," Liam said. "Oh, big, bad Liam. Need someone to stroke your ego?" I growled.

"Both of you get your asses out of here before you wake up Rachel and before I kill you. You guys annoy the shit out of me."

 ****So? What do you guys think of Theo's POV? It would be hard to understand the underlying story if it only came from Rachel's POV, so here's the real deal! Thanks for reading, and please, feel free to leave a review telling me what you think! Have a good day!****


	5. Chapter 5: Identity

_**~Rachel POV~**_

My leg bounced with the tension of deep thought. I was nervous yet again, but for good reason. Though he came off as a pretty nice man, the sheriff had a way of making me feel as though I was in trouble, even before saying anything. To top it off, I was here to be 'enrolled' as a citizen of Beacon Hills, which would allow me to get my driver's license and finish the paperwork for my new upcoming job.

 _You're an idiot!_ I told myself. I had been allowing myself to get way to comfortable here, and it was going to kill me, literally, if I didn't remember the dangerous brother I had and got too settled.

But Beacon Hills had brought me things I hadn't had in years: friends, purpose, even a few good memories. It had helped me shake some of the loneliness of being an outcast and runner.

"Alright, sweetheart," the sheriff said, "I need your full name first off. Any social security? Address?" "No, sir. Nothing." His look was skeptical, but I also saw some concern. "Darlin', how have you managed this far without identification?" "…Kindness of strangers." I muttered, my cheeks flaming.

"Is there anything you need to tell me?" "Not at all," I said, panic making my heart leap, "I just…haven't had a stable life. That was the point of coming here."

Well, I HALF told the truth. That made it feel a little better.

"What about your family? Do they know where you are?" "I…" His eyebrow rose and I fought for more words. I sighed, "My only living relative is my godmother, Angela Few. She's an older lady, blind. I couldn't care for her and make a living. I was forced to put her in a home where people could tend to her."

 _Liar._

I'd never even met extended family of my parents', much less anyone they were close enough with to be a godparent. I had no one. Just Damian, and he was set to kill me.

"Well…I'm sorry about that. Just…give me your name, and date of birth." Easy enough.

"Rachel Lynn Brodie. December 5th, 1995."

I hadn't even heard my real name and birthday spoken aloud in a long time. But I did remember for myself every year on April 15th that I was older than the previous day.

The sheriff typed out the letters on his keyboard. "You're not even in the database, sweetheart, are you SURE there's not-"

"Sheriff! There's been an emergency call down at the hospital! Someone was hurt, and they think they have camera footage of the attacker! They're asking for you personally." "Got it, on my way." He looked back to me. "I've got to go, I'm sorry. I'll have to meet you again later." I nodded and he took off, coat, gun and badge in hand.

The station grew quiet with only a couple of cops left, and they were too taken up with their phones to notice me. I didn't mind the walk.

I opened the doors, then gasped as I bumped straight into Theo. Of all people.

His sly grin was in place before I even thought his name. "Hello, Rachel," he nearly purred. I was sure he got pleasure out of my discomfort. "What, Theo?"

"Not even a greeting? That's rude." I gave him a blank stare. "I got word that you might need a ride home?" "No, thanks," I couldn't get the words out fast enough for my liking. "Well, that's a long walk. And a gentleman doesn't let a lady walk alone."

"Theo, I really think I could use the walk… _alone_." "Too bad. It's either I walk with you or I drive you back. Choice is yours."

"Is it really?"

His smile said it all.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I liked that I was getting an angered reaction from Rachel. That's what I had intended all along, because if she was the creature, and she got mad, she couldn't hide it. Even if she wasn't, there was something off about her. In a way, it drew me in, and made me curious.

I stood behind her as she climbed into my truck, feeling her unease hit me with crashing waves. Even though I did feel SOME satisfaction, it wasn't at all like normal. Once she was in, I went to close her door, leaning in for a second to meet her eyes flirtatiously and say, "Don't forget to buckle up."

As she glared at me, I felt my smile grow bigger, and I reached across her lap to buckle the strap. She grabbed my arm, surprisingly hard for a human. "I think I've got it," she snarled through clenched teeth before throwing my arm back away from her.

Man, she was a firecracker.

But still, those eyes hadn't changed. She was either really good at lying, something I could understand, or she really wasn't a supernatural and I'd have to hear from the little dipshit about how wrong I was.

I climbed in beside her, keeping my smile in place as I started the engine and put the pedal to the metal. Her fingertips dug into the seat she sat on. "Would it kill you to drive the speed limit?" She hissed. I pressed harder on the gas. "Maybe."

She grimaced and kept her eyes on the road. "So," I said, "I hear you're going to be getting a job at the hospital. That's big." "…Sure." She said.

"Well, one thing I know is that it always helps to have your friends check on you occasionally." Her eyes swung from the road to me, and I swallowed the want to burst out laughing. "Don't flatter yourself by saying you're my friend. I'm surprised you aren't banned by the place."

I bit my tongue hard to keep from telling her exactly why I _wasn't_ banned from the hospital. I had more than earned the right to walk in whenever I pleased. It occurred to me that this girl was getting under my skin. In a way it amazed me, and in every other way, it pissed me off.

"Maybe I wouldn't be so drawn in to irritate you if you didn't make it so easy," I chuckled. I swore I saw fire in those blue eyes! And yet, they still did not change color. Damn it!

Finally, we arrived at Cora's house. "Thanks for the ride," she said, unbuckling and beginning to get out. But just to throw in that last little dig, I was already out of the truck and opening her door for her. But she surprised me with simply sitting in the seat, her eyes locked on mine. "Why do you feel the need to force your will on people? Is it a power thing?" "Liam would tell you it's a 'dick thing'." I said. "I know what Liam says, he tells me all the time. I want to know why from the source."

It really got on my nerves that she'd stated how much time she spent with Liam. Problem was, I didn't understand why. "Guess that's just something you'll have to find out as we hang around together more." "Ugh, don't bet on it."

"Sorry sweetheart, it's a price you have to pay when you hang around the people I hang around with." "That's another thing!" She growled, hopping out of the truck, "My name is not 'sweetheart'! I've told you my name, now use it instead of the damned demeaning pet names!"

I watched as she trudged up the stairs and opened the door, which she slammed behind her. I really admired her. At any point, unbeknownst to her, I could rip her throat out, yet she challenged me. Even as a human man, I would easily overpower her, but she didn't seem afraid of me. But there was one thing I knew, and that's that she WAS afraid of something.

And I was going to find out what it was.

 ****Thanks for reading you guys! I hope you liked it, and please review! Have a good day!****


	6. Chapter 6: A Clue

_**~Theo POV~**_

"Damn you, Theo! You knew how I felt about you cornering her up! You are not supposed to make direct contact!"

Liam's ranting was getting on my nerves in a way only he could. I hadn't harmed one pretty, little hair on Rachel's head, and he was acting like I'd slit her throat.

"Subtlety isn't exactly my strongest suit." I smiled at him. "You know damn well what I mean. We are all aware of EXACTLY what your idea of finding things out is! What you NEED to do is listen to instructions." "From a wolf younger than me? Psh, please."

Liam growled.

"Could you guys shut up maybe?" Mason said, "The things we're doing are a shot in the dark to begin with. We don't need you screwing things up, Theo."

"Look, you guys study deeper into this logically, that's what you're best at, right?" I asked Mason, and included Corey, "What Liam and I need to do is run interference. Did you get Melissa's message earlier?" "Yes. Another body turned up in the morgue, this one a girl. She was 18 years old. Eight. Teen. This killer has no preference, or mercy." "Which means," I said, "we can't be stuck here fighting over dumb shit while the thing has free reign. What I did was to provide a clearer view of Rachel. I didn't hurt her, only provoked her. As much as I hate to admit it, Liam was right. Her eyes never changed."

Liam's shoulders released of their tension, and I couldn't understand why that pissed me off, but it did. "Don't think she's out of the woods yet on my part," I growled at him, "she is still a suspicious person! She reeks of anxiety and fear, and that doesn't exactly scream innocent. If you saw past your nose and her curves, you'd see that."

I turned to leave the room, but Liam took me by surprise by shoving me out the doorway. I hit the pavement of the parking lot hard, fueling the rage already growing within me. I felt my eyes change and I saw red, and with that, my body began to tingle with the need to change. I stopped myself from going that far, but turned to face Liam, who was already in an attack stance.

"Come at me again, let all that rage fly. It's all you're good at anyway." Liam's roar of fury brought forth one of my own and I flew at him, punching him in the stomach, but he didn't stay down as long as I had expected, and instead took a swing at my nose. Not that again.

I dove and the blow landed on my left shoulder blade instead, but I drove him into the ground. Once he was pinned, I drew back to break HIS nose. I felt the wolf and the coyote powering this…

"STOP IT!" Mason screamed, breaking my concentration and Liam threw me off and stood up. "If you two could stop being dumbasses for two seconds! Look!"

Mason turned his phone around to let us see. I wiped blood off of my cheek, not sure whether it was mine or Liam's, and glanced at the text on the screen.

 _From: A. Deaton_

 _6:16 p.m._

 _May have found a possible creature! Meet at vet's station at 6:30._

"Well, that's good at least." I said, rolling my arm to test my sore shoulder, regardless of the pain dwindling by the second. "Thank God, maybe he found out something, anything, which can help us stop it." Liam said, "Let's go."

None of us said a word on the way there, which was fine by me. Seemed to me all that Liam had to say anymore was bullshit, and Mason and Corey never spoke on basic level anyway, it was all tech stuff and big words, both of which had no interest to me.

Once we pulled up to the doc's place, we climbed out and went in, locking the door behind us. "What have you got, Doc?" Liam asked.

"Alright, so you said the bodies you saw, they had green veins, right?" He asked, giving his usual timid, deep thinking look. "Yeah, they were swollen, like, very visible and a sick green color. Also, their throats were ripped out."

"What if they weren't ripped out at all?" "What?" I asked. "When you checked the throat and neck area, were their signs of trauma? Like claws, or even teeth, and been involved? Think about it."

I thought back to the bodies I'd seen. Now that he mentioned it, no, there hadn't been any marks to indicate a fight had occurred. The flesh hadn't been ripped, torn or even punctured. "No, the throat was just…open, and raw looking."

"That's where the green veins come in. According to things I was able to dig up, my guess is that the green color came from poison. Acidic poison." "Are you saying this thing has a bite that _melts throats?_ " Liam asked, his eyes the size of soccer balls. I felt myself growing uneasy.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Could it be another version of the kanima?" I asked, "I mean, it had a paralytic poison already, if it evolved, or was changed into a chimera, could it have caused that?" "There's nothing like that on record, but, with the things I've seen stroll through Beacon Hills, I've tossed all written knowledge aside. I couldn't be sure it's a kind of kanima, but your guess is as good as mine. One thing I do strongly guess though, is that it's reptilian. However, this is only a guess." "Okay, so we look for reptilian eyes and features. We'll poke around some more. Thanks for all your help, Doc." "I will continue to search for answers. Meanwhile, please stay safe." "Will do." Liam said, leading the way out.

"Okay. That was helpful. Now, we need to tell Melissa."

 _ **~Rachel POV~**_

"Okay, well, your temperature is low grade, and that could mean possible infection, but it could also just be because you're hurting. We will monitor that while you're here. Is there any pain here now?" I asked the current patient. "N-no," she sniffed.

My patient was a 12 year old girl named Helena Rodgers, and she had taken a spill from her bike onto some broken glass in the street. Her arm was deeply cut and required stitches, to which I was administering as gently as possible. It had taken a bit to get her numbed up and it had made my chest hurt to watch her cry.

I took a deep breath and pushed the needle through the first time, and began to quickly and neatly sow her up. Melissa stood behind me, watching intently, but gave no criticism. A knock on the door startled us both.

"Melissa."

I forced myself not to take attention from Helena's arm to greet Liam. I needed to pay attention to her wound. "Hey Liam," I tossed at him from my bent pose. I assumed he didn't hear me, and when I stopped for just a second to look up, I was shocked to see they, including Melissa, had stepped out the door.

" _Okay, you need to tell Chris about this. He might an idea about what's going on."_

" _That's what we thought too. He-"_

 _Stop listening in, this isn't your business,_ I told myself, and went back to closing up Helena's arm. I had to admit that I was curious as to who Chris was, and what they needed to tell him.

I tied off the fifty-third stitch on little Helena's arm and just to be safe, disinfected it once more. "Alright, Helena," I said as sweetly as possible, "you're all done. Do you want me to tell your mom she can come in now?" She nodded and I stood, going to get her mother who was sitting outside the door.

"Mrs. Rodgers?"

"Hello, Rachel," Theo's voice said behind me, like he'd just been waiting for the opportunity to pester me, "I've got to say, black is your color."

Ignoring him, I walked out the door a little ways and motioned once more to the woman slightly down the hall, and thankfully, I caught her attention. "Your daughter's stitches are finished. All you have to do is finish the paperwork in here and you're free to go. You may see her now." "Oh, thank you so much, Ms. Brodie!" She said, rushing before me and I went after her. I couldn't avoid Theo's eyes on the way back, no matter how hard I tired. Once he let Mrs. Rodgers pass, he stepped in front of the door and leaned against it, slipping his hands into the pockets of his black leather jacket and giving me a smile.

"I don't have time for you, Theo. My patient is waiting for my go ahead." "Eh, they'll understand. Pretty girl, talking to a handsome face, they get the picture." "Yeah…well, I am not interested in talking to a handsome face, or you for that matter, now move."

"Oh, but you didn't say please. Didn't your mother teach you your manners?" He crooned. "Theo, I'm done being polite. Move the fuck out of my way, now." "You're cute when you're threatening me. I'll catch you later…sweetheart." He threw over his shoulder as he walked off.

If I hadn't had patients waiting on me, I would have leapt on his back and beat his skull in. I bit my lip hard to fight my anger, then released a breath I'd taken in slowly and walked through the door.

"Okay, so Helena, you try to be careful, okay? Don't want any more accidents," I gave a soft smile and touched her shoulder for a second, "I have a prescription for some painkillers for her, miss. She might not even need them, but we're all different with pain tolerance. I will let you judge."

"Thank you so much for tending to her, Ms. Brodie. You've done a fantastic job!" "No problem," I said, "be careful going out."

Melissa came rushing back in seconds after the door clicked shut behind the Rodgers. "Damn, I'm so sorry Rach, Liam needed to talk to me about something. That wasn't professional of me at all." "It's fine. I got her arm tended to and gave the prescription from the doctor. She was set."

Melissa smiled and went get the next patient when I stopped her with my quick, and what I hoped was innocent, question. "Melissa, who is Chris?"

Her smile softened, and her cheeks took on a glow…even her eyes shimmered slightly. I suddenly felt like I no longer needed to know, as that was too intimate a look. But she answered me anyway.

"Chris…is my husband."

 ****I hope you guys are liking this! I know I'm having so much fun writing it! Please review, if you'd like and have a good day!****


	7. Chapter 7: The Truth Unfolds

_I heard the rustle of the dead leaves, felt the chill of the freezing winter air. Where was my jacket? Surely I had had one when I left the house._

 _It was calm, but it was too quiet. Eerie._

 _I shivered, and without seeing a thing, I knew to be afraid._

 _He was here._

 _No, no, he couldn't be! There hadn't been a sign!_

 _I began to run. I heard the cold air whistling by my ears, felt the sting of twigs slapping my bare arms and the wind whipping my hair around wildly. It was too dark, I could barely see a thing!_

 _I took two precious seconds to glance up at the sky, and spotted the full moon, the stars winking at me. Frantic, I ran, but everything, everywhere, looked exactly the same as where I had been. Where the hell was the road?!_

 _Then I heard him. As sure as though he were right beside me._

" _Oh, Cassie…"_

 _His voice flowed through the limbs of the dead trees, floated through the wind effortlessly. "No!" I cried._

 _I couldn't let him catch me. If he did, it would be the end!_

 _I tried to run again, but I tripped over something heavy, and fell face first into the cold dirt. I hurried to get up, then turned and looked to see what I had tripped over._

 _I felt tears spill down my cheeks._

 _There they were, just as I remembered them._

 _Bloody, lifeless, eyes empty._

" _I'm sorry," I said to them, a sob escaping my lips._

 _My mother's eyes never blinked, but her lips whispered, hauntingly, in a terrified voice._

" _Cassia…run…"_

 _I ran, faster than I ever had before. I felt my lungs burning, my legs giving out. Just a little further!_

 _Suddenly, Damian jumped down from the tallest tree in the middle of the forest, and I spun to run away, but my legs stopped and I fell to the ground again. He was going to kill me. His hand reached down and gripped my neck._

" _Times up, Cassie. I'm here to keep my promise..."_

"NO!" I screamed, sitting up suddenly. My heart raced, my blood roared in my ears and I couldn't catch my breath, I could only manage panicked, quick pants.

"Who is Damian?"

I screamed and threw a pillow into the area that the voice came from. Cora appeared from the darkness of the left corner of my room and I couldn't stop my tears of relief. Then suddenly, it wasn't just relief anymore, it was tension, fear, sorrow and more.

Hearing my true name on my mother's lips once more. Seeing her and my father laying there in the same heap they had been so many years before. Damian's voice, as clear and dangerous as the last night I'd seen him, two years previously.

Cora sat on my bed, and reached out to hold me. It didn't take me long to get my bearings thankfully. "Thanks," I said, wiping my face. "Your name is not Rachel," she said to me, watching only my eyes, "you're scared of someone, aren't you?"

Was it really worth it to hide it from her anymore? She already knew I was a sham, and she had known it from day one. I'd known her for almost two months now, and she had never failed to keep my secrets, as little as they were. Could I trust her with the biggest in the existence of my life?

"Cora," I began. "No more lying, I mean it. Whatever it is, you can tell me." For whatever reason, I trusted her.

"You cannot tell a soul. One word about all of this, and it could mean the end for me. Cora, please, do you understand?" She nodded solemnly.

I sighed. "My real name is Cassia Whittaker. I am from Georgia, though I haven't been there for six years. I have been on the run since I was sixteen years old." She nodded, taking the information well. "Why have you been running all this time, and under a fake name?"

"…I have a brother. His name is Damian." I said, and watched the recognition dawn in her eyes, "He's very dangerous. He's eleven years older than me, and he was always mentally unstable. That's just him, and we figured with the right help, he could be normal."

I could see the horror story of my life playing out again as I spoke.

"I had gone out to study at the library that night. Keeping up with any part of life wasn't easy when Damian was home, and I had had a big test the next day. When I left, everything was fine. I came back at almost nine o'clock, and the house was…too quiet."

She leaned in closer to me. "I came in to find my parents on the floor, murdered, with Damian standing over them. He wore their blood…like it was nothing to him…" "It's okay, you don't have to continue." Cora said. I held my hand up and took a deep breath.

"From the second I caught him in the act, he vowed that he would kill me too. The police arrived too quickly for him to finish me off right then. But I'll never forget the words he threw at me as they drug him away. He said, 'I will find you, Cassie, and when I do, I'm going to make what happened to them look merciful'. I've been running since that night. Telling no one, staying in no place, leaving no trails. But somehow, he always seems to find me. And he always seems to know exactly how to get out of prison. He's escaped so many institutions and jail cells that I've lost count…and it's all because he's driven with one need, and that's to kill me."

Cora had not moved from her position once in my long spiel. I was terrified of what I had just done. I had been very stupid to let any of this out. Even if Cora didn't say anything, there was no telling who was listening.

"I would…also really appreciate if you could continue to call me Rachel, Cora. No one else can know about any of this. I just gave you the very key to my death."

"You will not be found. I will keep your secrets." "Thank you. But Cora, I can't stay here much longer. I've been pushing it like crazy anyway, what with a job and talking to the cops and letting people get to know me. I ditch places pretty quickly."

"You're safe here. There's no need to run off anytime soon." "That's sweet of you to say but-" "Rachel," she interrupted, a small smirk on her face, "you're in a place that is easily monitored, and you just happened to make friends, or at least friendly acquaintances, with important, powerful people who live here, like me and Liam. We aren't going to let anything happen to you." "Cora, they can't know. You can't tell them. Telling you was dangerous as it is." "I'm not going to tell them. But you should. At some point."

I opened and closed my mouth probably five times before she stood up and went to the door. "I'm going to crash now. Get some rest and take a load off." And with those words, she left shut the door, and I heard the springs in her mattress squeak with her movement.

There was no way I was getting back to sleep tonight.

 ****I know, it's a short chapter! But it was necessary and opened a lot of truth to Cassia's/Rachel's hidden, scary world. There will be more soon! Have a good day!****


	8. Chapter 8: Sticks and Stones

_**~Theo POV~**_

"This is bigger than any of us. If…if we don't find out how to stop this thing soon, it's going to destroy Beacon Hills."

Liam sounded so defeated that it startled me. There wasn't an ounce of 'give-up' in that boy, where the hell was his determination? "You act like this is over." I said.

"We are about seven steps behind in finding out what this thing is and why it's here. And while we're stumbling around in the damn dark, it's killing people left and right!"

"And we've had worse," I said, giving him a dark look, "did you completely _forget_ about the Anuk-Ite? How about the Ghost Riders? Douglas? Monroe? There was no way of escaping them, whatsoever, but Scott never gave up. He always figured it out, and we're going to figure this out too. You need to step into his shoes, Liam. You said you could be the alpha of this town, now be it!"

Liam's look both thanked and cursed me. He never seemed to figure out that he wasn't smarter than me. If anything, he was dumber.

We turned to the sound of the door to the garage we met at opening and in stepped Cora, with Rachel behind her. I wanted to throw something at Cora. She knew we were discussing things, and these were things that a human like Rachel didn't need to hear. We all knew what happened the LAST time humans discovered what we were, and I wasn't going to be running in my own home again.

I pulled Cora aside before she could reach us, and I stifled a growl as I watched Rachel walk over and put her arms around Liam's neck in greeting, then turned back to Cora. "What the hell is SHE doing here?" I hissed. "I'm keeping her close by. She IS my friend, Theo, which is more than I can say for you." "Har-de-har, you know DAMN well we can't discuss things with her around!"

"That was one thing I was going to discuss with Liam, in the case you ever let go of my arm," I released her and she went on, "I'm thinking about telling her. Hell, Theo, she's living with me and almost everyone she has put her trust in is supernatural. In case you haven't heard, she's got a…shaky past…and trusting people is far from easy for her. We're lying to her." "I don't give a good hearty damn about her past. What matters is we keep her in the dark, and WE don't get attacked again. I know you were galloping through a field of flowers in slow motion when Monroe was here, but for the rest of us it was outright hell."

"Don't make me break your quick healing nose in front of her, you bastard. She's not like them, if she were, she wouldn't have come here in the first place. She's not trying to be a hero, she's just doing what the rest of us are: surviving."

Fed up with the conversation, I let my eyes flicker yellow at Cora and walked off. I watched as she went to where Liam and Rachel were sitting. I supposed telling her wouldn't be terrible, as she wouldn't be very hard to kill, but it still irked me. Didn't we have enough humans who knew about us? Mason, Stiles, the whole damned town? I braced up against the wall in the dark corner and folded my arms, homing in on their conversation.

Rachel had stepped away, chatting to Mason and Corey, as Cora had asked to speak privately with Liam.

"…I can't lie to her anymore, Liam. She was upfront with me a couple nights ago and I've been turning it over in my head since. She asked me not to relay any of her past, but it's not been easy. She hasn't trusted anyone in years, and for some reason, she chose us. We owe it to her."

"I'm not saying no, but is it really a good time? We're still struggling to find a way to stop this thing, and if she freaks out?" "With things she's seen, Liam, I really don't think she'll do that."

Liam went quiet, and I glanced up to study his quizzical face. I had heard enough.

I instead chose to bother Rachel. I didn't like that she always felt off and suspicious. I wanted to know what was going on in that little head of hers.

"So," I entered their conversation, "what are we busy chatting about?" "Video games," Corey said sheepishly. I refrained from rolling my eyes.

Rachel had shut down completely, not as bubbly as she had been ten seconds before, and for some reason, instead of angry, it made me feel worried. Okay, she had a bad past…did it somehow involve me?

At any given time, she could have seen something she didn't need to, years before now. I was the only one she hadn't grown accustomed to, which I'd taken simply as she didn't like me, and that could also have been a possibility. I had to question her.

"Corey, Mason. Give me a second. I want to talk to Rachel." Mason's look became dark and wary, but Corey knew me well enough that he took his arm and gently pulled him away. When he'd been in my pack, he'd seen what I did and could do. He knew that although I made scenes, I didn't hurt or kill without purpose, even if that purpose was dumb in the long run. I still felt the snap of my neck from Deucalion and remembered Tara dragging me down to what could only be described as hell.

I shook my head to disperse those memories and focused on Rachel. I had hoped to be firm and fearsome, but as I studied her, I didn't have the courage. She'd cursed at me, she'd tried to kick me, and she'd redirected my flirting with threats, but this woman didn't look so fierce at that moment.

Instead, I noticed things I hadn't noticed before. What an odd shade of blue her eyes were, and how no matter her stance, there was something there that told of terror, of always watching out. I knew that feeling, I'd been there before. Her hair was soft looking, the color of freshly made toffee and she had it kept in a messy bun, though swirls rested around her temples and ears. She was small compared to me. I stood at least a good half a foot taller and a lot more built.

No wonder she was scared of me.

I couldn't understand why that bothered me. I didn't need to be on her good side…but I wanted to be.

I decided that I had looked at her long enough, and spoke. "Hey Rach, how's working going?" "It's always good, especially when you're not there bothering me." Damn it, this had to stop being the default conversation starter.

"Being that you say everything is better when I'm not around, I think I get the point. You don't like me, and you don't have to, but you do have to know that I am not the enemy."

I saw fear and anger go up in flames in her eyes and she bit her lip. "I can see that you're scared," I said, "but I'm not who you're scared of."

I could not have expected the punch she threw that connected to my jaw. I felt it shift painfully and reached up to hold it. "You know nothing about what I'm scared of!"

"Shit," she groaned, and I looked over to see her holding her hand, which was already swollen and bruised.

"Rachel, what happened?" Liam asked. "Theo, what did you do?" He directed at me. "ME?! She punched me, all I did was tell her not to be scared of me!"

"Dumbass." He said.

 _ **~Cassia POV~**_

"I overreacted. Please tell Theo that I'm sorry." I said to Liam. "Yeah…alright," He snickered. "I…" "You don't have to say anything. Theo always deserves what he gets, and more, so don't beat yourself up."

I nodded and watched as he left the room. Melissa was smiling as she bandaged my hand. "He isn't wrong," Melissa said, "Theo Raeken is nothing but trouble. To put it lightly, he's a bastard." "He still didn't say anything worth me hitting him. I…let my defensiveness take too much of a hold." Melissa looked like she wanted to say something else, but kept her mouth closed.

"At least we know you aren't scared of him," she said after a little bit, "there have been times we were." "What?" I asked.

She startled, and cleared her throat hard. "Nothing, sorry, just…nothing." "What could Theo have done to make you scared of him?" I asked, completely confused now.

"Your hand is fine, just keep ice on it for a couple of nights. I'll see you on Thursday." "Melissa…?" I asked, but she walked out and the door closed behind her.

As if I hadn't been wary enough of him before. He'd obviously done some sort of terrible thing if MELISSA had been afraid of him. What was this mysterious man capable of?

Deciding to just leave rather than ponder it on my tired brain, I stood and began to walk out, when I heard light commotion behind me. I turned and saw a huge crowd had gathered around something, or someone, and couldn't help but be curious.

Melissa was standing there also, her hand put to her chin in thought. "Call Dr. Deaton," she said, "he'll know what to do." "What's going on?" I chimed.

I pushed past several people and found a young girl sitting on the floor, gesturing wildly with her hands, almost angrily. She was in pain.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything for her?" I asked Melissa. "We can't understand her. No one on this floor knows sign language, and those who do are tied up in bigger matters." She said worriedly. I was so glad that I hadn't left yet.

"I can speak it. I know sign language, let me through." I pushed through a few more people before I was able to settle before the girl.

"What is your name?" I signed. "Zinnia." She spelled out.

"Where is your pain, Zinnia?" I asked her. In response, she lifted her shirt sleeve to expose her left upper arm, where I saw three deep puncture wounds, swollen, irritated and worsening. "What happened?" I asked.

"Went for a jog. Stumbled. Fell into a rusty bicycle near the junkyard." She signed quickly. "We will help you, can you stand?" She nodded and with my help, she stood, holding the hurt spot. If she had gotten rust into the wound, that wouldn't be good for her, so we needed to have a doctor examine it.

"Melissa, we need a doctor to come take a look at her. She fell into a rusty bicycle at the junkyard and has puncture wounds. I'm taking her to room three." "On it!" Melissa called.

I steadied Zinnia and helped her sit on the covered bed in the room. I noticed that she wasn't looking so good. She was white in the face, and her skin was clammy and sweaty. I noted bullets of it near her hairline, and she scrunched her eyes closed then and now like the pain was too much. That was an awful lot of pain for some simple wounds. Even if she did have rust in her bloodstream, nothing could have taken effect yet. Perhaps she wasn't telling me the whole truth.

"Zinnia?" I signed, and she answered, "Is that all your pain, or is there more? You are pale." "That's all," she replied, "not good with blood or any pain. Makes me weak." I nodded and wrote down her vitals. "Last name?" I signed.

"Rubek."

I filled in her information and left the papers for the doctor to see. "I have to go now," I signed to her, "the doctor will be in shortly. Feel better soon." She nodded and thanked me and I walked out.

Cora was waiting outside when I came out of the doors, and she was smiling. "Well, well," she said, "how's the hand?" "It'll be fine. I didn't…hurt Theo too bad, did I?" "He'll live. It was just dislocated, he got it fixed. Come on, there's something I want to discuss with you."

 ****Hope you guys are enjoying this! Please feel free to leave a review! Thanks for reading! Have a good day!****


	9. Chapter 9: Close Encounters

"Thanks for inviting me along, I needed to take a break."

"Hey, no problem. Hope you're liking it!"

Cora and I were hiking in the hilly area of Beacon Hills Preserve, and I was quite enjoying myself. It had been the first time since I'd gotten here that I got to explore the more quiet places of this little town that I'd come to love. Of course, it didn't mean I could stay here, but it was the first time in all these years that I hadn't thought about Damian for a solid hour.

I'd never come across any place that made me feel safe, or human. For once, I was just Cassia Whittaker, and I was at peace for just a little time.

Cora stopped at the top of the hill and waited for me. I saw her take a seat on a big, red rock and when I joined her, I swore, I had no other favorite place in the world. From here, in a picturesque frame of tree branches, we looked down onto the town of Beacon Hills. I saw the frame of the hospital, over there the library, an apartment complex here, the school there.

"It's so beautiful. I wish that I never had to leave." I spoke forlornly.

"I already told you, you're not going anywhere. Beacon Hills needs you just as bad as you need it. You've found your resting place. Your peace."

I chuckled, feeling like my heart was being ripped out, and replied, "You're never fully at peace knowing there is a psycho killer after you. I won't stay here and make you, Liam…anyone, a victim to my brother's wrath. You've only heard about him, you have no clue how dangerous he is."

"Cass," she said, startling me into looking at her, "I'm telling you. There isn't anything he could do that would scare us. We have access to safety that is almost unfailing. He couldn't do anything to us."

"You say that," I said, panic rising in my chest, "like you've dealt with him, or someone like him, before." "It's no secret that weird things happen in Beacon Hills," she said, "You're family, Cassia. That's something that someone like me hasn't had much of in a long time. My family was murdered too."

My head snapped to face her, my eyes staring directly into hers.

"Yeah," she mumbled, "My brother did something stupid. I don't blame him for it, because he was young, and would never have done this on purpose, but he gave open access to our family to a cold blooded murderer. In a way, we have a similar backstory. There's a difference though: My brother loves me."

"I'm so sorry, Cora. You never told me that you had a brother." "I do. I doubt you'll ever meet him, he doesn't live here anymore, and hasn't for a while. I don't really live here either, I just…came back to visit friends." "Wow, so, where do you live?" "South America. It's where my brother is now, with his wife." "That's amazing. I hear it's beautiful there." "It can be."

Quiet then followed, and I made use of it by staring at the little town below once more.

I jumped when Cora swiveled fast to look behind us. Her eyes searched every open area between trees throughout the forest. "What…?" I asked barely above a whisper. "Thought I heard something," she mumbled.

She stood up, still looking intently into the groups of trees. "I didn't hear anything," I offered, but she crouched, pulling me down behind the rock.

"I'll explain in a moment. You stay right. Here. Be quiet and stay hidden."

I didn't even get the chance to process all of that before she left, hopping between tree trunks and rocks farther into the forest before disappearing completely. It was suddenly so silent that my heartbeat sounded like gunshots in my ears. I dared not breathe. If there was something out there, a huge animal for instance, that was making Cora frightened, I knew it was nothing to play with.

But curiosity grabbed hold of me, and without rustling so much as a leaf, I crept my head up over the crest of the rock. I heard a twig snap to my right and slowly, I glanced that way, and my heart leapt into my throat and stayed there. Too scared to swallow, I simply stared at the huge creature among the trees.

It was black as tar and huge, probably at least seven to eight feet tall. It had long, silvery claws, so sharp looking that you could easily imagine your own torn flesh. Long fangs poked out of the mouth of the creature, and a long tail twitched back and forth. The first word that came to mind…

Dragon.

It sat up on its back legs, its head lifted, my guess to sniff the air, and it occurred to me that crouching back down would be a good idea as long as I did it quietly. Pure fear fueled adrenaline raced through me as my foot slipped out from under me on the dead leaves, making noise in the dead quiet. I heard the creature huff, and bit my lip.

I heard the leaves crunching as steps were taken, and my heart sped up. It was so close I could hear the labored breathing, heard it growl and inhale the air once more.

 _Be quiet_.

It felt like forever since I'd take my last breath, and my chest burned with the need to bring in air, but I couldn't. Just as I was about to have to give in, a mighty roar sounded throughout the woods, bouncing from tree to tree, pulsing through the ground.

This was where I was going to die.

The creature must have spun and ran toward the roar, because I heard it begin running. I allowed myself to exhale heavily, but terror raced through me as a hand came down over my mouth, concealing my scream and yanking me to its owner's body.

I didn't know who this was, but I did know it was male. And the only thing I knew for certain was that it wasn't Damian's hand. I wrestled against my captor, struggling to get free. They braced up against a tree, keeping the hand to my mouth, but gentling it so I could breathe better.

I stopped wriggling and dared to glance up, startled to see Theo's face above my head. "Shh," he said, his face completely serious, and he let go of my face to scan the woods. His arm stayed wrapped around my waist in an iron grip, and for once, I didn't mind. Part of me was so relieved it was him that I could have cried.

He held me close to him, and I could see his pulse jumping lightly under the skin of his neck. He seemed at ease, regardless of the monster in the woods with us. When his scan was complete, he released my waist and caught my hand and we ran in the opposite direction that we'd come from.

We came to an open area, potentially a small camping ground, with a log bench and a fire pit. Once again, he huddled against a tree, holding me silently as he had done before. "Theo, what-" I began to whisper when he gently hushed me again. His eyes began to wildly search the place, like he was seeing something I wasn't. I was about to say something else when he whipped around, back fully to the tree and hugged me tightly to him. Approximately ten seconds later, the creature came stomping through the area behind us. I felt my fist tighten with a handful of Theo's jacket, but I remained very quiet.

After what felt like an eon, the creature rushed off farther into the woods. When it had been quiet for a couple of minutes, Theo's chest heaved with a deep breath and I allowed myself to indulge in one too. He said nothing, but glanced out, then took my hand once more and rushed the way we'd been going before.

I felt my head begin to bob, and without any warning, my body collapsed onto the ground.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I was surprised when Rachel's steady grip on my hand became solid weight that stopped me in my tracks. "Oh, not now!" I grumbled. She had passed out, I guessed from not being able to take anymore adrenaline, and was now laid out on the ground.

I had to get her out of here.

That creature could be anywhere. I had never seen anything like it before, but it was big. We had fought off big things before, but nothing this huge and reptilian. It was easily three times the size of a kanima, and black as night with long talons and teeth. Nothing like it was in Argent's bestiary; that was certain.

Gently, I reached down and took Rachel in my arms. She was light, easy to carry. I noticed how warm she was, and how small. She'd been such a good listener, even after she had discovered it was me who had a hold on her. She wasn't stupid at least. I remembered briefly how well her body had fit to mine, and hated that I _liked_ it. I had done everything in my power to avoid her since she dislocated my jaw, as I didn't want to risk getting angry enough to actually rip her head off, but I couldn't resist the urge to go and find her when Cora had showed up without her.

It was stupid, but I couldn't fault Cora for leaving her back there. She had thought it safe enough. We didn't imagine the creature following Cora's scent. It had lead it right to Rachel. She should be dead.

Yet, here she was, safe in my arms.

There was going to be one hell of an explanation demanded once she woke up, problem was that it was going to be hard, since we didn't actually know what the creature was. This of course would lead to other discussions. About Cora, about Liam, about Corey…about me.

At least the others didn't have assoholic maneuvers on their parts. If she detested me enough before, what the hell would she think then, and why on Earth did I care?

It wasn't like her opinion mattered a damn. Only elementary school kids got crushes, and I wouldn't use a word like 'smitten' to describe anything that involved me. I had to admit, though, that through my pestering her, tormenting her, and following her the last three to four months had caused me to feel things for someone that I'd never felt before. Sure, I'd made out with girls, and had a night here or there with women who didn't matter, but nothing had been like this. With all that, it had been a momentary rush, but with Rachel, it was a little deeper.

I didn't like it, and of course, she, nor anyone else, would never know, but I had to break down and confess to myself.

Lost in my thoughts, I snapped to when I recognized Cora's and Liam's voices.

"He's been gone for fifteen minutes! I didn't leave her that far out." She said, actually sounding worried. "I should have known better than to let Theo go get her. Dude's had it out for her since she got here."

"You should probably know that I can hear every word you're saying," I growled, coming through the last of the trees to meet them. "Oh, thank God," Cora said, running to take Rachel from my arms, "Is she okay?"

"Had a couple run-ins with the creature…I guess too much adrenaline made her pass out. She was pretty calm through it all." I handed her to Cora, who took her to one of the vehicles and Liam opened the door. Both of them stood over her like worried parents, and I bit my tongue.

No need to appear jealous.

"Did she see the creature?" "Yeah, but so what? You were planning on telling her anyway." "Not that," Cora said, "I didn't want her to know that real monsters actually ran around here. She loves it here, and I wanted her to feel safe. Me, you guys, she could handle. But, this creature…?"

"Uhh," Rachel moaned, beginning to come to. "Rach, how's your head?" Cora asked. "Spinning," she mumbled. Liam stepped over and wrapped an arm around her, bringing her to a sitting up position. Rachel held her head, and without looking to anyone else first, caught my eyes.

"Theo." She said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you…for saving me."

 ****Well, well! Theo's a little taken with Cassia, something he hasn't experienced before! What do you guys think might happen when he discovers the truth? Hope you're enjoying, and have a good day!****


	10. Chapter 10: Night Terrors

_~Two Weeks Earlier~_

"Guys," I spoke, "I want some answers. You all obviously know what the hell that was, or at least have a general idea. Why the hell was there a dragon in the woods? Is someone playing a prank?"

Cora sighed, then came close and sat beside me on the tailgate of Theo's pickup. Theo and Liam stayed sitting on a dirt hill in front of us, a fair distance from each other. "Rachel," she said, ever careful not to call me by my actual name, "we don't know what exactly that creature was, but, you're not wrong. We owe you an explanation."

Liam nodded, and Theo stayed quiet and kept his eyes on me. "It wasn't a prank," said Liam, "that creature is real, and it's hurting people. We've been trying to stop it." "But we're having a hard time doing that. We don't know anything about it, besides what you saw." "How could you guys do anything? You're only human."

Cora cleared her throat and Liam coughed. Theo lowered his eyes and let his clasped hands hang over his knees. "About that," Cora said after a short pause.

"Oh…damn it, you're not one of those things, are you?" I asked them. "No, no," Liam was quick to assure me, "there are different types of creatures. Us, for example."

I felt my eyes widen at them. I stood up, meeting Cora's eyes first. She nodded. I walked a short distance and back, trying to wrap my head around it. "What are you?" I finally asked Cora. "Well, I'm a werewolf." She stated. Although I felt sick to my stomach, I knew she wasn't dangerous to me. If she had planned to kill me, she would have already done so, any of them would have.

"A…werewolf?" I asked. She nodded, then I watched as her eyes turned a glorious shade of gold. They were warm, sunny. Her ears grew pointed, her canines sharpened and broke through her lips. Claws sprouted from her fingertips.

"Wow, you really are." I gaped. Suddenly, she was just Cora again, and she was laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked, having to smile myself. "You are so weird." she said, "You should have turned and high-tailed it to the opposite direction. And yet, you're not even freaking out."

I turned to Liam then, who smiled and flashed me his own golden eyes. "Werewolf?" I asked, and he nodded. Finally, my eyes landed on the man who had gone into dangerous woods to find me. He looked like he'd rather be somewhere else, but after a second, he lifted his eyes to mine and I watched the irises turn a brilliant topaz as well.

He kept his eyes on mine. Suddenly, Melissa's statement made sense. He could have easily scared her if she wasn't aware of what he was.

"And you're one also?" I didn't expect the smile that came up on his lips.

"Half," he said, "think I could show you something without you freaking out?"

"If I was going to freak out, I would have done so already." I said.

I blushed when Theo began stripping his clothes. Thinking he would stop at his boxers, I was terribly embarrassed and quickly turned my head to avoid being flashed when he kept going.

Without a single sound, his body transformed and there was a coyote before me. He was silvery, with the same eyes I'd just seen on Theo, and stood delicately on all four feet. He was actually quite beautiful.

Then, in a few seconds, he shifted again, and now before me was a beautiful solid black wolf. As he formed back into a human, I watched only his eyes and he watched only mine.

"Showoff." Grumbled Liam. "Simpleton," Theo shot back, grinning as he got dressed again. "So," I said to Theo, who looked back to me, "you're…two things?" "Yeah, I'm what they call a Chimera."

I nodded, "Guess that's why you're so supernaturally annoying."

Liam and Cora burst out laughing and Theo grimaced. "That's really all you have to say regarding everything we just told and showed you?"

"Yep, that's all I got."

 _~Present Time~_

"Thanks so much," I said to the person who stood beside me as she held out a key. "Hey, no problem hon, you take care now."

I was nervous to go inside, like somehow that would release Damian from his current prison cell. I'd just done the bravest, and stupidest, thing since I got here, which was get a house. I'd never had the option before to put down roots anywhere, and I hadn't wanted to.

 _You still need to leave,_ I told myself. And I knew it. The revelation of supernatural creatures still didn't save me from Damian's kill spree. Whether they felt they could protect me or not, I wasn't going to allow any of them to get so much as a bruise on my part. When I found out that Damian was free once more, I would leave without a trace, and they would be safe.

I thought to sweet little Corey's face when he found out that I'd been told, and how neat it was that he could turn invisible. Mason was just like me, a human, but he still showed strength of a nonhuman.

Liam, who had been quick to befriend me, and although his temper was an issue for him, was just a sweet young guy with a good heart in the right place.

Cora, who from night one of us meeting had sheltered and cared for me like family.

Theo, the one who had been an enemy, and had proven that there was more to him than just rage and sociopathic actions.

Melissa, the closest thing I'd had to a mother figure since my mid-teen years.

If any of them got hurt, or worse, killed, because of my brother, and me…how could I even go on living?

I shook my head to clear it and opened the door.

I walked in, studying the little home once again. A little living room, which I stood in, with nice wood flooring and white walls. A small, but open, airy kitchen with river stone tile and matching walls. There was a doorway that led to a small hallway with a door at each end, one to a bathroom and one to my bedroom.

Outside sat my new car, a beat up third generation Ford Fiesta, black in color. It would be wonderful for being on the run, until I ran out of gasoline anyway.

This place had been such a drastic change, and I loved every second of it. When the time came to leave, this is what I would remember. My little piece of heaven on earth.

I sat down on my thrift store sofa, which was surprisingly comfortable, and pondered my next move. It was still hours before I was supposed to meet Cora in town. Maybe read a book?

I hadn't done something so simple in years.

A sudden knock on the door startled me, and I crept to the door to look out of the peephole, and was somewhat relieved to see Liam standing there. Theo's truck was in the driveway, but he made no move to get out, which led me to believe that he had given Liam a lift here.

"Liam, hey," I said, opening the door wide enough for him to come in, "is Theo going to come in?" "Who knows," he replied, rolling his eyes. Liam walked past me, and I stepped out onto the small porch and motioned to Theo, who caught sight and rolled down his window.

"You don't have to sit out here, dumbass." I said, smiling. "I think I'd prefer to." He said. "Was that a dig at my house? What, not good enough for you?" I said, pretending to be upset.

"Really, Rachel?" He rolled his eyes at me. "Really, Theo?" I mocked, "Come inside. There's no telling how long Liam and I will visit and since I'm assuming you're his ride, there's no promise as to how long you'll wait. I made fresh tea. Now, get your ass out of your truck and come in."

Theo's eyes scanned my face for a moment before he sighed, turned the truck off, and hopped out. "Thank you," I said, "a spot on my couch is the least I can offer you for helping save my life."

"That was almost three weeks ago." "And?" "And…" Theo shook his head. He leaned against his truck, and I glanced toward the open door before joining him.

"Theo, I know we got off on a bad foot. You scared the hell out of me, to be honest. I am not used to being around a lot of people. But that doesn't mean we can't be sociable."

"What does that even mean, Rachel?" He asked, looking me full in the face, "You aren't used to being around people? You showed up out of nowhere, with this "mysterious past". Sometimes, I wonder if we can trust you."

"That's fair." I replied, not at all hurt by what he'd said. "Offer still stands." I said, backing off of his truck and walking up to the porch without looking back.

What I didn't mention was that he still did scare the hell out of me. I was allowing myself to be friendlier than I needed to, and not just with him. I'd opened all the way up with Cora, and who knew what could come from that. It felt safer to keep everyone else in the dark.

Liam was sitting on my sofa when I came in. "Tea?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Rachel, do you think that you would be willing to help us discover what this creature is?"

His question startled me. "Liam…that's, uh, sweet and all, but-" "But what? Every pack in this area has had some form of outside help. Mason is human. The human people help do the digging, and you're smart."

"For once, he says something keen," came Theo's voice from the doorway, "He's not wrong, as much as I hate to admit it. We could use all the help we could get looking for this thing."

Theo sat down at the counter in the kitchen, and propped his hand under his chin. I retrieved another glass from the cupboard for him. "Let me know what I can do." I said to Liam. "Anything," he said, "read books, study webpages, anything."

"Mind if I ask what all we know so far?" "Well, it has a venomous bite, is reptilian and black. That's what we have so far." "That's it?"

Liam nodded. "It's already killed five people. We're falling behind and costing lives."

I felt sick at the mention of lost lives. I shook my head and handed them their glasses. "Okay, so basically, look up lore on a big, reptilian creature with a poisonous bite. Pretty sure snakes are going to be a high answer."

Theo snickered and Liam facepalmed. "I was planning on going to the library tonight anyway. I'll look for books on mystical creatures and supernatural animals. Maybe they'll have something." "It would surprise me if you found something Doc hadn't, but you can try. Thanks, Rach."

We chatted until we parted and I did some shopping with Cora to stock up my new home.

"So, did Liam talk to you about helping us?" She asked. "Yeah, I'm going to hit the library tonight and see what I can dig up." "Okay, just be careful. Remember, weird stuff happens here."

"Oh no, wouldn't want anything weird to happen," I joked and she gave me a look.

After a couple of hours, we also parted ways and I took my stuff home and put it away. It had gotten darker faster than I had expected, and I needed to leave now.

The drive was quiet, which was both peaceful and unnerving. My car purred softly and I only met a few headlights going my opposite way. Rain began sprinkling on the windshield, and I casually bumped my wipers on.

I wondered how I would sleep tonight. I'd been plagued with nightmares of the creature, and of Damian, for the last few nights. But I had managed for years before I met Cora, though she had certainly spoiled me.

There were only two other cars in the lot when I pulled up. It was raining pretty hard now, and the library was dimly lit, but I rushed in. The lady at the front desk was flipping through a magazine and looked up only for half a second to acknowledge me with a smile, and a teenaged boy rushed past me with close to ten books in his arms. Hopefully, he could save the books from too much wetness.

I quickly headed off into the area of books with supernatural listings. It was a very small section, and seemed like the least used, since almost all of the books looked brand new. I traced the spine of one, then searched through it.

Hmm, nothing on big, venomous reptiles.

After a half hour, I could understand the pack's frustration. There was nothing that led on to what this thing was.

I got up from the table to get the next book. I pushed it back in its place, but dropped the next book on the floor. When I bent to reclaim it, a loud popping noise came from the other side of the building, and it went pitch black.

I stayed quiet, and heard only the heavy rain on the roof. Then soft steps. I figured the librarian had gotten up to go see what had happened, and I hoped that she found it quick.

Finally, I gained the courage to pick up the book, but fiery adrenaline shot through me when from near the front desk came a bloodcurdling scream.

It was the scream you heard only in nightmares: agonized and petrified.

It lasted for a few seconds before it cut off, replaced with a struggled gurgling. I had to help the lady.

Without a second thought, I quickly tiptoed to the front desk, just in time to see a scaly, black tail slithering out the door. I shook in fear, but it hadn't heard me, and seconds later, I heard the door slam behind it.

"Miss?" I whispered, "I'm here, are you…?"

Horror etched itself into my skin.

The lady, who had smiled at me earlier, was laying there lifeless on the ground. Thick, green ropey veins ran down her arms and into her hands and over her legs. They crawled up her neck and into her face. But worst of all was her open, ragged throat. I could see the bone of her trachea, and empty spots where muscles should have been. Her skin was in tatters around that.

I felt the urge to puke, but swallowed. My heart stopped when I heard the door open again. Nearly silently, I crept away quickly, trying to find a place to hide, and took it underneath a computer desk.

I listened to the footsteps, growing more scared as they got closer. Then they stopped. I held my breath.

Then a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me out from under the desk.

 ****Whew, would NOT want to be in this position! I hope that you enjoyed, and please feel free to leave a review! Have a good day!****


	11. Chapter 11: In The Dark of The Night

I wrestled against my captor immediately, attempting to claw, scratch, bite; anything that would free me. The person dragged me across the room, toward the front of the library.

"Let go!" I got out between the hand on my mouth. A few seconds later, the person flung me into a chair nearby. A lamp came on right after that, and I saw that my captor was once again Theo.

"Theo, damn you!" I raged, "I thought you were that thing!"

"Obviously not, otherwise you would be dead! You have got to learn to hide better and be quieter!" "What, was that some form of training me?! If you had given any indication that you weren't that creature, I wouldn't have freaked out!"

"Coming right up to the body immediately after she was killed was really stupid, Rachel. If I HAD been the creature, you would have died. That's rule number one: Never approach a fresh body. The attacker could just be waiting a few steps away, trying to lure you. You're lucky the creature didn't notice you."

"How the hell do you even know what I saw?"

"I came here to tell you that the creature was around this area. In fact, I was coming to…protect you. You can't make it so easy for me, or anyone else, or you'll die. Now, let's g-"

Red and blue lights lit up the rain tracks on the big windows outside. "You've got to be kidding." groaned Theo, "Listen sweetheart, cops are not my forte. Either go with my story or you're on your own." "Fine, whatever you say. And don't call me sweetheart."

He grinned at me, then turned as the sheriff came in, noting the body immediately. "Theo," he greeted him, "what happened here?" "Well, I was helping Rachel look for a book. She's been wanting to help out with our situation. Lights blew, then we hear a scream, and there's the rest of the story." He said, nodding toward the lady on the floor.

"Really, well, trusting you isn't exactly easy. Rachel," he said, turning to me, "is that what happened?"

I tried not to glance at Theo, but I could feel his eyes on me. "Yes," I said with ease. He sighed, then looked back to the body. "Damn shame, she was always nice." He said, "Alright, you two go give the deputy your statement, I'm going to take care of this. Oh and Rachel, correct me if I'm wrong, but we've met before, haven't we? I mean, before you came to town? You look so familiar."

I felt a jolt go through the pit of my stomach, but I answered as coolly and quickly as normally possible. "No, Sheriff, I don't believe so. Please, take care of yourself."

Surely he hadn't been a cop involved with any of Damian's cases. If he had found any of Damian's case history, they would find me. I wouldn't have thought anything he had done would have reached here, but I could be wrong, which would mean moving on faster than I thought.

I kept from snatching when Theo took my hand to lead me outside. Why the hell had he done so anyway? I didn't get to wonder too long, because the deputy was waiting for us outside. We gave him the cliff notes version of the same alibi we gave the sheriff and Theo released my hand as we went to our vehicles.

I couldn't resist.

"Why did you do that?" "Hm?" "Hold my hand." "You were white as a sheet. It wouldn't have looked good for either of us if you'd passed out. I had to grab your attention discreetly." "Well, thanks I guess."

"Yeah. Go home, Rachel. Call one of us if there's anything…unnatural." "M'kay."

I climbed into my car and watched as Theo's blue truck sped out of the parking lot. I hadn't realized until then that my heart was pounding. That had all been too much adrenaline.

I found myself inadvertently tracing the places Theo's fingers had been on my hand, and slammed my fist down on the console. No.

I couldn't allow myself any more luxuries than I already had. By no means was I falling, but there was a little something there, and I would squash it before I acknowledged it. Acknowledging it meant giving in, and giving in meant falling.

And falling meant getting all of us killed.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

Going in like that had been so stupid of me.

I should have just let her figure it out on her own. She was brave enough, obviously. Two seconds early, and that creature would have killed her too.

The thought made me feel anxious, and a little sick. Perhaps that interlude hadn't been smart on my end after all. I thought that saving her would only assure me that she was worthless dead weight, but it didn't, and I couldn't stop myself from thinking back to her.

I could have knocked the sheriff in the head for scaring her like that. He'd been a total idiot to say something like that to her right after what she'd been through. I wished that what I was feeling didn't scare me so bad, because feeling this way, it makes you reckless.

I'd seen so many people 'fall in love', and it had never seemed worth it, and though I didn't love Rachel, I did care for her in ways I never even wanted to know. Me, Theo…smitten.

The word itself grossed me out.

I pushed a little harder on the accelerator, feeling a bit freer with the speed of my truck. I needed to go ask Liam if anything new had been found. He'd be pissed that I was showing up so late, but I needed distraction, and he knew that I didn't care what emotion he felt towards me. As long as I got what I needed, his feelings didn't matter.

I whipped the truck into his driveway and hopped out. His parents weren't home, so I knew he was probably playing video games with Mason or Corey. Instead of using the door, I climbed to the roof and went to his window, knocking three times so he knew it was me.

It took a minute, but finally I saw his silhouette behind the curtain. He pushed it aside and I felt his dislike come through at me.

"What are you doing here?" He griped. "Just wanted to visit, cause I like you so much," I said sarcastically, pushing my way through the half open pane. Looking up, he had been doing just as I said, only he was playing alone.

"What, no entourage?" I asked. "Not tonight, hence why I ask again, why are you here, Theo?" "Is there any more info on the creature?" "Not since you asked me an hour ago," he complained, "seriously, Theo. You have never been so interested in a case. I'm worried, but that's not your thing. Why are you so invested?"

"I'll just go then," I said, going back to the window, but he slid in front of it and slammed it shut. "Move, Liam." "Bite me," he growled, "now answer my question."

"Watch yourself, pup. I wouldn't want to drench your carpet in your blood." His eyes went gold. "Don't talk down to me, dickhead. There is something fishy going on, and I want to know. Alpha, remember?" "Only that's the thing, you're not an Alpha, you're a Beta, who thinks they're an Alpha, and you cannot command me around."

"Says the Omega." He shot back, "I may not be able to demand things of you, but if you're a part of this pieced together pack, then you won't deny me information." "Not important information. And it's not, so goodbye."

Liam growled, then grabbed and pushed me against the wall. "There's the angry little guy." I said, then ducked his punch, which he landed on the wall, and I swung, connecting my fist to his nose. He snarled, then dove into me, taking us both to the floor in a mess of controller cords and bedsheets.

"Are you seriously doing this because I won't share a secret?!" I yelled. In response, he bloodied my lip. "Alright you little pain in the ass," I growled, then threw him off of me and against his desk in the corner. He came at me again, and I swiveled out of the way. He landed face first on his bed and I landed a blow to his kidney, making him stay down.

He groaned, holding his side and rolled over. "You got blood on my white sheets." He said. "Yours or mine?" I asked, wiping my lip.

I turned then, and had one leg out of the window before he spoke again.

"You like her…don't you?" I stopped cold in my tracks and whipped my head around to him, showing him my eyes. "Leave it alone, Liam."

"I can smell it all over you. You're not in love, you're too cold a bastard for that, but you're interested." "Liam, I said drop it." "No, because you don't deserve to have her. She's too good for you, Theo. Leave her alone."

"Oh, what, is this because YOU have a crush on her? You can fucking have her if that's the case, I don't care."

"In case you've forgotten, the girl _I_ love moved away. And you throwing this little tantrum only proves that you DO care."

"Seems to me you poke your stupid little nose where it doesn't belong." "And it seems to _me_ that you're afraid of what you feel. If you act on this, you had better not hurt her, or I **will** kill you." "I'm not acting on one damn thing. In case _you've_ forgotten, that whole relationship thing goes two ways, and I don't think she'll be as accepting as Hayden was, though I don't understand why she did in the first place."

"Shut the hell up," he said, "go crawl back into your cave. I've had my yearly dose of you for tonight." "That goes both ways, asshat. You're like a teenager hitting puberty who never gets past that stage."

I got out of the window fully before he came to shove me the rest of it, and he slammed the window. I chuckled to myself, then hopped down and into my truck. I had to find a quiet place to sleep, until a cop woke me up anyway.

I swore right then that if Liam said one thing to her, I'd kill him slowly and painfully.

 ****Everything is beginning to fall into place! I hope you're enjoying, have a good day!****


	12. Chapter 12: An Act of Kindness

I gathered together my meager possessions from under the front desk at the hospital. Melissa smiled at me and nodded, then stood, her beam radiant suddenly.

Closing my bag, I stood and watched as a man approached the same desk. He had all of Melissa's attention. He wore torn blue jeans with a gray shirt and black jacket. I swore, his eyes were even bluer than the sheriff's. Although I could see before that his hair had been darker, it was peppered with gray throughout, a fine match to his beard.

"Hello, Beautiful," he said when he reached Melissa, leaning over and kissing her. "Evening, Handsome." She replied. "Brought you dinner. Cooked it myself." "I don't deserve you," she said, giggling, "thank you."

I tried to hurry away, as not to interrupt their conversation anymore, but Melissa turned and motioned to me. "Rach, come and meet my husband. Chris," she said to him, putting her arm around me, "this is my assistant, Rachel. Rachel, this is my husband, Chris." "Nice to meet you, Rachel." He said, giving me a winning smile.

"Likewise," I said, taking his outstretched hand. I liked him well enough, and if he was with Melissa, I knew he was decent, but something about him rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't even understand why. He seemed nice, polite.

"Well, I've got to get on back home," I said, "take care." "Be careful going home, Rach," Chris said, "there have been high levels of activity in the woods recently."

That's what it was: He knew!

I sent him a nod over my shoulder and went on my way to my car. He had reminded me that I needed to get home and do more studying up on this creature.

Since my little visit to the library two weeks before, I had been shy to go there again, and most of the time it had cops around it anyway, and I wanted to avoid them as much as possible.

I pulled my keys out of the pocket of my scrubs to open the car door, then sat in the quiet for a moment, in deep thought of my next move.

I didn't notice Theo come up to my window, so I was quite startled when he just opened the door and crawled into the passenger seat without warning.

"You seriously have to stop doing that," I scolded him, "I'm jumpy as it is, what with this creature running around and all!"

"Do I scare you, Rachel?" He asked, a sly grin on his face. "Yes and no," I said, giving him a look, "don't you ever go home?" "Here and there," he answered.

I met his eyes then, squashing the wings of the butterflies in my stomach mentally when they tried to take flight. "Theo, why are you here?"

"I just…well, do you have anything else on the creature?"

"No, I don't. I've been sifting through papers, surfing websites, reading books. I'm doing all I can, and I'll let one of you know."

"Alright." He said, but made no movement to get out. It shifted to awkward silence, but I tried to stay calm. "Is…there anything else?" I finally asked.

"No, why would there be?" "Because you're still sitting in my car."

"Look," he said after a few minutes of quiet, "I…worry…about you. You have no way of defending yourself when you're alone against the monster, and we already know from last time that you would basically announce your presence right off the bat." Always with the insult. "Liam and Cora freak out randomly about it too, so you can't call me paranoid."

"I wasn't going to. I…appreciate you guys' concern, but really, I'm fine." I refrained from adding that something trying to kill me was nothing new in my life. Damian hadn't always been tracking me, but my sixteenth year was far from the first time he had done something to endanger my life. I still remembered when I four, and he was fifteen, and he told me that the best hiding spot was the dryer.

He had proceeded to lock the door and turn it on. Thank goodness my mother had heard my cries.

"You're not 'fine', Rachel. No one is ever just fine in Beacon Hills. This is far from the first time a creature we didn't know existed has showed up and tried to kill everyone." "Funny," I said. "What could possibly be funny about what I just said?" He asked irritably.

"Liam told me you didn't care about Beacon Hills, or anyone for that matter." "I don't. But I am an ally to the people who protect this place, and what bothers them involves me. If they were into killing everyone and taking over the town, I'd be for that instead."

My heart thumped loudly against my ribcage. How easily he could turn…it sounded like something Damian would say, though he would never swing for the winning team.

"At least you're honest." I murmured.

"Sometimes. I pretty much do what benefits me. If I have to lie, I lie. If truth is necessary, I might say it. I'm not a good guy, or a bad guy. Just the guy who does what is best for him."

He said all of this carefully and plainly, just laid it out.

"Do you talk to anyone else like this?" I asked, feeling a smile come to my lips as I looked at him. "Not really. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not very popular." "That makes two of us." I chuckled.

"At least Liam and Cora like you. By no means do I need anyone's approval, and I've gone years without friends. Come to think of it, I don't even remember a time that I had someone I liked being around. I just kind of stick to one place for a while, then move on. I think Beacon Hills has probably been the place I stayed longest."

I could more than understand every single word that came out of his mouth. We were completely different, but absolutely the same.

Rain began to patter on the windshield, and I took a deep breath, feeling a little refreshed.

"Theo, I think I understand you more than you know." I turned to him, keeping hold of his eyes with mine and asked seriously, "Where do you really call home?"

His eyes darted from mine, and for a few seconds, he looked angry. He stared out of the window for a bit, then sighed and turned back to me, nearly growling, "That blue pickup. That's my home."

Sympathy flooded through me. There were too many times that an abandoned woodshed, a broken down car, even a trash can became my temporary home.

"If you don't want to, it's understandable, because even after all this time, we've barely breached the area of 'friends', but…I have a couch, in a dry, warm room. I'm not insulting your truck, but if you want to crash there occasionally, all you have to do is let me know."

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

My heart thundered in my chest.

This was the girl who had insulted, put down on, blasphemed, and assaulted me, yet here she was offering me a place on her couch. Maybe I hadn't given her enough credit…ever.

I was finding out that there was so much more to her than a scared, weak little girl. She hid herself, but she was kind, generous, and strong, in more than one way. And to the core, she was a _woman_.

Liam was right, I didn't deserve her, but hey, we're all selfish by nature, and I certainly took the cake for selfishness.

The problem was, one, how did I go about trying to be the one she needed and two, was there any chance she would feel the same? Could my pride allow myself to care about her?

And especially, could I take her offer in an effort to get closer to her without fucking it up or appearing weak?

"I…might do that sometime. Thanks, Rachel." I said.

Maybe that would work.

"Okay, Theo. Well, I need to get back to the house. My offer is there, whenever, alright?"

I nodded, then opened the door and hopped out. Once inside my truck, I allowed a little panic to settle within me. I hadn't ever felt this way before, and it was terrifying. How did someone as young and stupid as Liam ever find this easy and thrilling?

I watched Rachel's little black car speed off onto the road and into the darkness. I decided then that even if it never went anywhere, I had to protect her. Let Liam think what he would, let Cora say whatever, I had to do this.

Maybe after all this time, I had finally found a purpose.

 ****I know the story has probably begun to slack a bit, and with both sides, it might be confusing, but I hope you'll stay with me, I promise it's going to get better! Thanks for reading, and have a good day!****


	13. Chapter 13: A Piece of The Puzzle

I turned over for the fiftieth time, and sighed.

The cold side of my bed comforted me only a little bit. I was tangled in the blankets, lost in deep thoughts, and unable to sleep. It was one of those nights where every time I closed my eyes, I saw Damian. I saw my parents. I saw blood.

Frustrated, I sat up and grabbed my laptop from my side table. I minimized the tabs I had had up looking for another place to run to when the time came, and brought up a new page. If I couldn't sleep, I might as well look for more info.

I typed in the same phrase I'd been using, watching as links showed up, all purple from my previous studying. I had grown bored of this search: always the same and never anything in reward.

But people's lives depended on us finding out what this creature was, and I wasn't going to give up until I, or someone else, found out some info.

I glanced over images of lizards, geckos, snakes and all sorts of reptiles. A few turtles were even in the mix. But I locked on to a new image, shared just yesterday according to the time on the photo.

It was a big lizard-like thing, and I clicked on it, curious to get a closer look. It was venomous, native to Indonesia. I went back to the search bar and brought up more listings of this creature, which was called a komodo dragon.

Dragon. Dragon!

Nearly breathlessly, I typed in 'types of dragons', and watched as links I hadn't visited before popped up. I needed to find a dragon-like creature with a poisonous bite.

Though I had never met the veterinarian that Cora and everyone seemed fond of, I had his number for emergencies, as Cora had insisted. I needed to call him now, and hope that he would forgive me for the time.

I dialed and waited. It rung twice and then a friendly, warm voice answered. "Hello?" "Hi, um, Doctor…Deaton! My name is Rachel, I'm Cora's friend. I'm so sorry for the hour." "Don't worry about it, Rachel, I've been up for weeks almost, looking for any lead on this creature. What can I do for you?"

"So, have you seen this creature?" "Only in what Cora and Liam have described to me. It is, pardon my pun, a slippery thing. They said it was dragon-esque, but I've never heard of them, and certainly not with a bite like this creature has."

"That's what I was thinking. I'm up right now looking for such a creature. So, if it's like a dragon, but has a poisonous bite, what are some other names it could be known by?"

"…Come to think of it…there are legends of a creature from the other side of the world known to have characteristics of a dragon. In fact, they're often mistaken for dragons in pictures, books and even oral stories. One of my instructors from a long, long time ago told me of one such story, but he said that these creatures only existed in medieval times."

My heart beat hard in my chest, and I put a hand over it for support. "Doc, what were these creatures called?"

"Wyverns."

Lightning fast, I typed the name into the search bar. Before my very eyes came pictures similar to what the creature looked like. Most of these things had only two legs, but ours had four. The wings looked almost identical, the teeth and claws too.

I clicked on the first link on the web, and read the information. "Doc, Wyverns have poisonous bites. It doesn't list what that poison does, but it is listed."

He grew quiet on the other end, then hurriedly, "Rachel, call Cora and all of you come to my workplace, now, please."

Before I could answer, he hung up and I was out of bed, pulling on my jeans and dialing Cora's number.

"Hello?" Cora half-yawned into the phone. "Cora! It's called a Wyvern! Doc Deaton wants us to be at the office, pronto." I heard noises come from her side that indicated her getting ready, and I hung up, finishing up getting dressed and grabbed my keys from their place on my dresser.

I went probably a good ten miles over the speed limit, but when I pulled up to the veterinary hospital, I saw Cora's and Mason's cars and Theo's truck already there. At least now I would get to meet the Doc.

When I opened the door, Cora, Liam, Theo, Mason and Corey were there huddled around the table with the doctor. He was a shorter man, with rich colored skin and affectionate, tired eyes that buzzed with energy from our new discovery.

"Rachel, hello," he said, and I nodded in response as I went to stand by Theo. "Took you long enough," Theo said, winking at me. I knew he was joking, so I stuck my tongue out at him and turned my attention back to Doctor Deaton.

"Alright, so, this thing is called a Wyvern," the doctor said, pulling some folded up, freshly printed papers from his coat pocket and laying them out on the table, "It has a toxic bite, as we've seen. They are supposedly extinct, I've not had a single druid report to me in all my years of one before. It must be one hell of a hider."

"So, how do we kill it?" Theo asked. Liam's look turned dark as he glared at Theo. "We have to try to save whoever it is, that's how Scott would do it."

"Scott?" I asked.

"Well, there's a huge difference, Liam," Theo growled, "Scott isn't here. He hasn't been for almost two years, and he hasn't come back to help with anything. We need to do this our way."

"What gives you the impression that it can shapeshift anyway, Liam?" Cora asked, "Something that big? It seems unlikely."

"You saw Le Bete, right?"

I rubbed my head. "You guys have got to tell me what went on before I got here one day. I have no clue what any of you are talking about."

"That's different," Theo shot back, "Le Bete wasn't a shapeshifter. He was an asshole that the Dread Doctors kept alive unnaturally, who then tried to take over and kill your friend. He needed someone to do that, and this creature doesn't."

"And who would know that better than _you_?" Liam growled.

"Can it, morons!" Cora called over them, "Focus! Now, we need to look for weaknesses. Rachel," she met my eyes, "this may be where you could be really important. If somehow, the creature can shapeshift, it could pass through the hospital under a guise. Has anyone suspicious been through lately?"

"Not that I have seen. Just stitches here and there, some coughs, an earache from a three year old. Not anything out of the usual."

"Okay," the doctor said, "well, any red flags thrown up should be told. Watch people's eyes, their tempers, anything that would give them away. Anger will be their biggest revealer."

I nodded, and watched Theo glare at Liam from under his lashes.

"We do what we have to," he said, "I know that you want to walk every way in Scott's path, but you can't do that. Not when the creatures are getting more dangerous." "Scott always found a way, even when he couldn't _see_ the enemy. That is what makes people like us different from people like you, Theo, we give a shit about people."

"…You never even made a move toward Gabriel. That was me. You were too obsessed with getting back at Nolan."

Liam's eyes went gold in anger, and he growled, "That was one time to my many. I was on the good side from the start, and where were you? Betraying Scott, turning him against his best friend and attempting to get everyone killed. You're no hero."

Theo's body went stiff, and I swore they were going to tear into each other. I didn't think.

I reached out and put my hand on Theo's shoulder, and felt his body relax under my touch. Hopefully the distraction worked well enough that he wouldn't hurt Liam and Liam wouldn't hurt him.

Doctor Deaton smiled at me discreetly from his corner. Theo's head had tilted slightly over his shoulder to acknowledge me without words and I saw Liam break his angry stare also.

"Guys, we're a team. I don't know anything about what happened in the past, but doesn't it mean something that we're all here together now? I'm not asking you to like each other, it's obvious that you don't, but please, for the sake of this town, let's band together to fight this thing."

Liam nodded slowly, and Theo turned his back to him and Cora, looking straight to me. Cora smiled at me and mouthed "Thank you". However, the doctor's face showed a certain pride that seemed almost fatherly.

"Okay guys, let's go back and try to get some rest. It's going to be a busy day hunting for the creature." Cora said. Everyone began to walk toward exits, and Theo's walk slowed as he passed me. He didn't say anything, but in just a simple gesture, he brushed the back of my hand with his index finger, almost sweetly, and went on his way, leaving me there with a shocked expression and flitting heart.

I heard his truck start and the wheels on the pavement as they all tore out of the lot. Doctor Deaton stepped forward, wearing that same smile as before.

"In the years he's been here, I've yet to see that expression on his face. I can't say for sure, Rachel, but I believe our troubled friend is fond of you."

I felt my cheeks redden and warm. "Oh, he couldn't be, Doc. He's…Theo. And before long, I'll be leaving. He just doesn't know that."

"Sounds to me as if you care as well." He placed a hand on my shoulder, "That one is a peculiar one. He is often dangerous, and is known to backstab in a heartbeat, but you're the only one that I've seen pull him away from himself. We all have our backstories, but we don't always have to run from them."

I gave him a small smile, "If only mine were as simple as that." "You are bright, my dear. You will figure this life out."

I nodded once more, thanked him and walked back to my car. Placing my hands on the steering wheel, I let myself wonder back to what the doctor had said. I'd admit that I'd noticed Theo's slight unusual behavior, as he was different with me than he had been at first, but I pushed it away from myself.

And if the Doctor knew, who else had guessed?

 ****Things may begin to spice up soon between Theo and Cassia! What do you think? Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for reading! Have a good day!****


	14. Chapter 14: Soulmates

_**~Theo POV~**_

I sat in my truck, trying to talk myself into driving to Rachel's house.

It had been almost a week since she introduced the offer she'd made to me, and I'd had yet to take her up on it. I didn't want to appear as though I needed her offer, because truly I didn't, I'd grown used to sleeping in the backseat, but mostly, what I wanted was to just be near her.

When she had stopped the argument between Liam and me three nights previously, I knew she'd been trying to make peace, but for once, I felt like I had a real ally. An ally who wouldn't shove my past idiocies down my throat every chance they got. An ally who didn't remind me constantly that my life sucked because I'd made it that way. These were things that I was well aware of and paid for every damned day.

I needed to see her, so I started the truck and drove down to her house.

As I pulled up into her driveway, I could see her silhouette in the living room window through the curtains. She was holding something, most likely a book or her laptop. She seemed completely at ease.

I swallowed hard, then got out of the truck and walked up the steps. I knocked twice and I heard her shuffle things about before coming to the door. I smiled as she opened the door, doing nothing to hide my observation of her.

She wore a baggy black tee shirt that swallowed her, long flowy sleeping pants and a messy bun. She was actually hot like this.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything." I said, giving her a grin. Her heart pounded, but I couldn't decipher if it was out of embarrassment or because I had startled her. "No, just…come on in." She said, stepping to the side.

I walked in, and she closed and locked the door behind me. "Want something to drink?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Nah, just was so lonely," I teased her, "figured I'd come bug you."

She gave me a small smile and went to sit on one end of the couch, inviting me without words to take the other end. "Sorry I wasn't…dressed for company." She said, her face turning light pink.

"I came to your house late at night, of course you weren't dressed for company. It's nine thirty."

Could I even be brave enough to say anything to her in regards to my feelings?

"Did you want to crash here tonight?" She asked, and broke up my thoughts. "I suppose." I said, "Which side of the bed is mine?"

I heard her heart jump and thump hard in her chest, sending blood racing through her veins, and I watched as some of it made its way to the color in her cheeks once more. Was I mistaken, or should that have earned me a dirty look, possibly a fist or foot to the crotch?

She attempted to start three different sentences before I spoke again, trying not to laugh, "I'm joking, Rach."

Still a little flustered, she finally had to laugh herself and curled her legs up to her chest. "Told you," she said, "I don't have people skills. Your flirting is not something I'm used to."

"You call that flirting? That's out and out seduction and you know it."

"Yeah right, like Theo Raeken would have to seduce someone to get what he wanted. You would just pester them until they gave in to subdue you." She teased back.

"Y'know, you're a bitch," I told her, still smiling. "And you're a bastard, but you knew that."

Indeed, I'd found my soulmate.

 _ **~Cassia POV~**_

It had taken every ounce of willpower to hide my heavily beating heart from Theo when he had first knocked on the door. My first thought was to hide, but that would have been stupid.

Now, he sat just two feet away to my right, sitting comfortably on my couch and staring at me from time to time.

Our jestering slightly before still had my skin tingling. The thought of Theo in my bed was enough to set my heart racing again. I knew he'd been teasing, but what scared me was the realization that I might not have minded so much if he _wasn't_ kidding.

And what scared me even more than that was the article that I'd just read on the internet.

So that I could allow myself to have some deeper thought, I excused myself to the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub, placing my head in my hands.

I had known better than to get comfortable here, yet I had dumbly done it anyway, and now I was rooted here. I had a job that I loved, friends who cared, security in my own home, and worst of all, a man that I'd begun to fall for regardless of my insistence to ignore my feelings. He didn't even know who I was, and he wouldn't.

I finally had to accept that Theo liked me. Why else would he say such surprising, intimate things, though they came across as jokes? Why would he respond to my touch like he did, and appear to honor my suggestions, wishes and offers?

But I couldn't let myself get too tangled up, not anymore. That article had been the ice water I'd needed to wake up, because only something like I'd found came in dream form.

The article had stated that a crazed man had escaped his prison cell. He'd killed four police officers, an FBI agent and two cellmates in his quest to get out. He was so slippery, and one of the FBI's most wanted. It stated his age, his looks, and his height. He had last been seen in Kentucky, and was known to move quickly from state to state. His name was Damian Whittaker, and he needed to be avoided at all costs.

But they had nothing to worry about. As long as they stayed out of his way, he'd harm no one, because there was only one thing he wanted, and that was to find and kill me.

I stood and splashed my face with cold water before walking back out to chat a little more with Theo. I had to enjoy the quickly fleeting moments I had left here in Beacon Hills, with the people who would soon curse my name in scorn for abandoning their friendship.

"Are you sad?" Theo asked before I even got sat down.

Damn it.

I forgot all about the sensory detection. "Not at all. I'm just really tired." I lied, feeling like my heart was being stomped on.

"Go to bed then." "Not until my company is ready for bed," I lightly scolded, "I am a good hostess!"

"Okay then," he said, standing up. "What are you doing?" I asked as he approached me. "Being good company," he said and smirked, then leaned down and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder.

"Theo, put me down!" I laughed, and he began walking toward my room. In just a few long strides, he was through my door and he tossed me onto my bed. "Since you wouldn't go to bed, I _put_ you to bed."

"I'm not five! I'll go to sleep when I'm ready!" I said.

"Goodnight, Rachel," he cooed.

Fed up, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him when he turned his back, landing it straight to the back of his head. "Direct hit," I clicked my tongue.

He stood still, then whipped around and tackled me to the bed, pinning my arms down. His face hovered directly above mine, his eyes shiny with playfulness. I liked this look on him. I snickered, "What? Can't take a pillow?"

I watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed, and suddenly, the look in his eyes turned lusty. Before I could fully process it all, he stood back up and retrieved my pillow from the floor, handing it to me gently.

"Let me help you make up the couch," I suggested, standing and getting sheets and blankets and an extra pillow from the top shelf in my closet.

I walked ahead of him and with his help, we made up the couch. He plopped down comfortably, then smiled at me as I began to ask if he was comfortable.

"All good?" I asked. "Yep, definitely better than my backseat. Thanks." He replied. "Any time. Good night, Theo." I said, turning and walking back to my room and closing the door.

How terribly unfair life was.

 ****Things are getting intense, and not just between Theo and Cassia! Hope you all are enjoying and thanks for reading! Have a good day!****


	15. Chapter 15: Image

I was rushing trying to get down to the little diner in town on time.

Liam was expecting me, as he had asked to speak with me the day before. My guess was that Theo had mentioned his staying over a couple of nights before, and Liam wanted to tease me for details, none of which he would receive, and I took a small luxury of remembering the morning after, when I'd made us breakfast and we, stupidly, had flirted a little back and forth.

An emergency situation had showed up last second at the hospital, and I'd been delayed meeting him by ten minutes. Hopefully he didn't think I had ditched him.

I was relieved to see him sitting in his favorite spot and I waved as I climbed out of my car. I hurried in to see him nursing a coke and I sat down across from him. "Hey, Liam, sorry I'm late. Someone showed up just as I was about to walk out and they needed help."

"No biggie." He said, nonchalantly taking another sip of his drink.

"So," I said after ordering a drink, "what is it you wanted to talk about? Is there any new info on the creature?" "Yes, Doctor Deaton has discovered a new trait to typical wyverns. Apparently, they can't talk. Like, they're mute." "Huh, so we need to be on the lookout for someone who can't talk?" "Yeah, which doesn't narrow it down a lot. There are lots of people here who can't speak, and most are in a place called Eichen House. It's like an insane asylum."

At the mention of an insane asylum, I felt my gut clench in dread, fear and sadness, but quickly pushed them away so Liam didn't catch on.

"Well, we'll keep our eyes peeled. We're going to find it, don't worry."

"Sure," He said, tapping on the rim of his glass.

"What's on your mind?" I asked, noticing that he wasn't acting like his usual self. He wouldn't even meet my eyes, and it was like there was a war going on inside him.

He sighed, letting it out heavily and finally met my eyes.

Good grief, I hope that he hadn't found out anything about my past. That was a dark look, and I wasn't completely sure that it wasn't aimed at me. His blue eyes were steely, his mouth set in a hard line. If he knew that I had lied to him…

"Are you…and Theo…?" He asked, running a hand through his hair. "Lord, no, Liam! We're…friends. Just like you and I are friends, and Cora and so on." I rushed, both relieved that it had nothing to do with Damian and embarrassed because he thought I was sleeping with Theo.

I felt my cheeks heat up and I somewhat glared at my soda. "He told me that he stayed over the other night. That usually only means one thing." "How would you know?"

Now he looked embarrassed. I guessed it didn't really surprise me that he wasn't a virgin. I thought too much of the time that he was a lot younger than he actually was.

"Liam," I said, waiting to continue until he looked at me, "I'm not sleeping with Theo. You know I have a past that remains unspeakable, and so many times I didn't have proper shelter. Theo admitted to me that he had been taking up residence in his vehicle. I've been there, and I invited him to sleep on my couch now and then. Besides a little flirting, nothing happened."

I didn't allow my heart to speed up with the fly-by memory of Theo's arms around me, his body pressing mine into the mattress of my bed, and that nearly unused, genuine smile.

"Rachel, he's dangerous. He lures you into trusting him, and then he stabs you in the back. He's only in if it profits him, and let's face it, you're a pretty girl who doesn't take his crap. You wouldn't be the first girl that shared his bed or whatever for the night."

I avoided shrinking back like he'd hit me, but I wanted to recoil all the same. I had really let my emotions get too invested in Theo, but it was because for the first time, pretty much ever, I felt safe.

When I was with Theo, Damian felt like a bad dream, one in the past that didn't matter. Feeling his arms around me the other night made me feel sheltered, made me feel innocent. It made me forget that the demons of my past lay in wait until my eyes closed. And it certainly made me feel like I was important to someone. Not a throw away, not a reject, not a secret.

He made me feel like Cassia, the girl unloved by her brother who was a lost soul, and not Rachel, the fake girl who had a haunted past, but got by with the help of her temporary home.

I suddenly didn't feel so good.

What if what Liam was telling me was true, and I gave away that part of myself due to broken promises and lust?

What if Theo really didn't care?

My chest ached, and I felt more crushed than I should have. Liam seemed to pick up on my feelings, because his face turned terrified and softened at the same time.

"Oh, my g…you really DO care about him, don't you?" His tone was incredulous, surprised, and a tad angry. "Liam, I've never met someone that has made me feel the way that I do about him. If what you say really is true…" I sighed, pushing away from the table and standing, "I need to go back to work. I'll see you around."

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

"Damn," I groaned in frustration. Of course the oil had needed changing, and of course I had managed to drop the dipstick somewhere inside the hood.

I had been planning on saying hi to Rachel at the hospital, but the engine had stalled and upon opening it up, it needed more care than just a looking.

Now, I had to go on the errand of hunting down the damned dipstick that oh so inconveniently hadn't fallen straight through to the ground.

I thought about ripping parts out in anger to find it, but that would only destroy my ticket to get around and sleep…at least on most nights.

I thought back to the night, and morning, that I had spent at Rachel's little home.

Every inch of her body was designed for mine, from her pretty little toes to her gorgeous little head. Her hips had fit to mine like puzzle pieces, her little head could tuck perfectly under my chin. All of that, I'd gathered in the three seconds I'd had her pinned to the bed in playful banter.

It had taken at least two hours for my heart to slow down from that, and I could hear from her own heartbeat before she'd slept that I had either scared her, or excited her.

Sleeping there had been the best sleep I'd gotten in the past couple years. Plush cushions, no cop knocking on my window at the crack of dawn to make me move, and no worries of the wyvern.

The next morning, she'd gotten up and showered, making her smell even more floral, and then proceeded to cook the best food I'd had in years. Not to mention I got to stare at the back of her frame while she stood over the stove. When I'd flirted, she returned it. Her response to me now was so different from when she'd first gotten here, and I guessed mine was too.

Deep in my thoughts, I jumped to when Liam's car roared by me, sliding in the dirt and tires squealing from him stomping on the brakes so hard, and came to an abrupt stop diagonal from me. I sensed that he was pissed before he even got out, and was sure when he jumped out and slammed the door, which cracked the driver's side window.

"What now, Hulk?" I asked, annoyed that he'd ruined my good mood.

"Shut the hell up," he snarled, snatching the reclaimed dipstick from my hand and throwing me against the side of my truck. "Liam, what the fuck?!" I asked angrily, grabbing his hand that was wadded up in my shirt front.

"I told you to stay away from her! I told you that she was too good and you still didn't listen!" "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Rachel," his voice dripped with venom, "she cares for you."

I would deny it if he wasn't so pissed off. Him pissed off made it true, because otherwise, he wouldn't be angry. I wanted to address that, but it didn't seem to matter when I took what he meant seriously.

Rachel cared for me too.

It both excited and disgusted me. Not because I didn't want her, but because I knew that my past would hurt her. If she simply played me, then I could have gotten over it, but if her emotions were involved as mine were…

"THEO!" Liam's growl brought me back to my spot. "What?" I asked. "Stay away from her. I won't let you pull the bullshit you pulled on us on her. You could fuck us over, because we had a chance of survival, but she doesn't. You leave her at a killer's mercy and she won't make it."

"You really are stupid," I said to him, which darkened his look, "have you truly not seen, felt or allowed yourself to address the fact that I also care for her?"

Liam looked taken aback, and I must have had a similar expression.

Never before had I admitted my feelings about anything or anyone, especially to Liam.

"Is…she aware…? Because of you?" I asked him. "She's not dumb, I'm sure she knows, but no, I haven't said anything." "I wouldn't fall for a stupid girl," I told him, flashing him my smile, then taking the dipstick back from him and replacing it in my truck. "Theo, you don't really seem to understand that I will brutally and mercilessly, without prejudice, kill you if she even so much as gets a hang nail due to your presence."

"Hell Liam, you're like a dog in heat. Since when did you get so protective over people?" "Rachel isn't people. Rachel is my friend, and I protect my friends." "You tried to kill your Alpha," I said. "And you actually did kill him, what's your point?" "He did not die for long if you recall."

Liam shook his head. "That means nothing. What does mean something is that you killed him. For a brief time, his heart stopped, his brain shut down and he bled because of you. You killed your pack, you attempted to kill mine, and you killed innocent people in Beacon Hills, and the cherry on top, your sister. There is no one that you won't hurt."

"I'm not stupid enough to deny my past stupidity. But you're the bastard who brought me back, so you can't act like my being here is my fault. I was perfectly fine rotting in hell away from you. Rachel is the first thing in my life that makes me regret all of those things I did, and you cannot use her against me." "We'll see about that," Liam replied, "I'll break her image of you before you can do anything to stop me. Unfortunately for you, I'm already a quarter of the way there."

My heart leapt into my throat and I could say nothing, do nothing, but glare at him as he got back in his car and sped off.

 ****With a troubled past on Cassia's end already, what do you think will happen when she hears about Theo's past behavior? More soon! Thanks for reading and have a good day!****


	16. Chapter 16: Cry For Hope

_**~Theo POV~**_

When the deputy obnoxiously knocked on my window, he didn't have to wait for me to stir. I had already been up for probably two hours, listening to the waking of the world and contemplating my next move.

What to do about my situation with Rachel.

Liam was confidently two steps ahead, trying to ruin what little we had already started. I was pissed about that, but more than that, I was sick at the thought of never getting a chance to make things better between Rachel and me. These things, these feelings and thoughts, were safely tucked away in my head, probably the best place for them.

Slowly, I sat up and waved the deputy away from my window, too anxious to respond to his irritating eye roll, and crawled into the front seat. As the engine revved, I looked to my clock, which read 7:48 A.M., and wondered what she was doing as I left the cop behind in a trail of dust and gravel.

I knew for a fact that today she was going to go work. The morning that I'd been at her house, her work schedule had been tacked to the refrigerator and I'd taken the liberty of studying it while she'd cooked. Maybe today I should bother her, and I smiled at the thought.

I pulled over at a gas station and grabbed clean clothes and toiletries from under the seat and changed in the bathroom there, like I usually did. I did that so often that the man up front knew me almost by sound and nodded as I walked back out.

Climbing back up behind the wheel, I felt my stomach churn as I realized that I needed to begin fighting back against the seeds that Liam was planting in her head. Though I couldn't deny the dumb things I had done, I could prove that I wasn't ALL that same person…

…Right?

One thing that had to be admitted though was that I wasn't going to change. I was still the bastard and backstabber that Scott and Liam, and everyone else, and known before, but I knew I could make Rachel believe that I didn't, and would never, apply those standards to her.

To hell with Liam, and everyone else that dug up bones to pick with me. Rachel was a sanctuary, _my_ sanctuary, and I'd be damned if I'd let Liam ruin it.

 _ **~Cassia POV~**_

"Fancy seeing you here again!" I signed as I walked into Melissa's office and met the eyes of Zinnia Rubek.

"Just getting a check up to make sure nothing more is upsetting the wound." She signed back, giving a slight smile. I nodded and lifted her shirt sleeve.

I frowned slightly with my observation.

It had only been about three weeks, and even though the damage would have healed, the puncture wounds had been deep enough to leave scars. Yet, there was nothing on her arm. It was simply pale skin, just like that of the rest of her arm.

The thought occurred to me that she might be supernatural herself, but I knew better than to ask. She seemed harmless enough, she was just a teenager, and if she was a werewolf, so what?

"Not even a scar, you're lucky." I signed to her and she didn't reply. Her look seemed a little darker than it had been, but I kept my smile on, though my gut churned, and told her she was free to go.

Without hesitation, she stood and walked out, and I called in my next patient, a little boy by the name of Steven Broker.

I helped him up onto the bed in the room and kept him content until Melissa came in. I assisted in giving him some shots he needed and we sent him back to his mother.

"Melissa, have you found anything related to what we're looking for?" "No, and Chris is doing his best, but there's nothing like this creature in his little book of supernatural things." "Your husband has a bestiary?" I asked, shocked.

"Guess I need to explain that one, huh?" She smiled, "Truly, I'm surprised you know what I was talking about. Most people respond with 'don't you mean 'bestiality'?"

I chuckled, then gathered the papers to store in the front desk office. "Chris used to be a Hunter." Melissa said quietly. "A Hunter?"

"Mm-hmm, hunted those who hunted them." "What made him stop?" I asked. "Scott…my son."

The name clicked into place in my head. "Scott? You mean, the Alpha that Liam always says he wants to follow?!" "That's right. Scott and his pack protected Beacon Hills. Liam was his first bitten Beta."

"Wow," I breathed, "so, Chris stopped when you married?" "Oh no, long before. After Chris lost his daughter…" "Say no more, I understand. That's really interesting, thank you for sharing." "You're welcome. You should probably go take those papers now. If we lose them, they'll break our legs."

I smiled and nodded, then walked out the door, letting it close quietly behind me, and I shuffled the papers. I was going over them again, making sure that I had written down everything correctly before storing these in the proper patient records.

Busy with that, I didn't pay attention, and ran right into a sturdy person, whose arms went around me instantly to steady me. "Well, I didn't expect such a warm welcome, but thanks."

Theo's voice spoke right above my head and I leaned back to look at him. "What are you doing here, Theo?" I asked, trying not to sound impolite as I bent to pick up the papers that had scattered when I bashed into him.

He bent down as well, grabbing a couple and reading them over as he replied, "Unhappy to see me? I could just come back later, possibly at a more inconvenient time." "Ha-ha," I said, smiling against my will, and snatched the papers from him, "give me that! Don't you know it's illegal to read into someone else's medical files?" "But you do it." He teased.

"That's different, I'm the nurse assistant, and I fill these out." I pressed a hand against his chest to gently move him aside and he moved, but walked directly behind me. Once we reached the front desk, I stopped and so did he, though he was so close, I could feel the warmth of his body near me.

"You can't follow me back here," I said. "Then give the papers to Ms. Looksbusy here, and come chat with me. I want to talk to you." "It'll have to wait until my break, I'm busy right now. And watch your tone with Mrs. Vincent, she's tougher than she looks," I said, smiling at her as she glared at Theo, but said nothing as she was on the phone.

His look told me he didn't want to wait until my break, still three hours away, and I could see him trying to find a way around it. I sighed.

"Wait here," I told him, "I'm going to file these, and then you have five minutes to tell me what you have to." He nodded, but that smile he flashed me spoke of trouble, and I thought of Liam's words from a couple of days ago. A pit formed in my stomach.

I took my time filing the papers, reflecting on what he'd said again, then took a deep breath and walked out. Theo was still waiting there, an impatient look on his face as he leaned against the desk.

"Alright, come on, let's go to the cafeteria." I said.

Once we got there, I picked up a bottle of water from the tray near the window where they served food in the afternoon and night and took a seat at one of the tables. Theo sat down across from me, impish delight sparkling in those eyes of neither green nor brown.

"What are we talking about?" I asked. To my surprise, Theo looked a little uncomfortable, but I remained calm.

"Well, um, Liam mentioned the other day that he'd spoken to you…about me?"

I nearly choked on my water, but swallowed it and nodded calmly. His face asked me the question that his lips didn't speak: _What do you think?_

I took a brief second to think, and studied his face while I did. His hair was in disarray, with small not-quite curls hanging around his forehead that needed to be brushed back. My fingers itched to bury themselves in that soft looking mess of chocolate brown. His eyes looked nowhere but my face, and I wondered if he was doing a similar assessment of me.

I wanted to beg him not to get attached, but as seen by his unspoken question, it was too late for that. I hadn't even left yet, and the thought of his upset broke my heart for the three thousandth time, but there was nothing I could do.

Finally, I took a deep breath, and cleared my throat to speak. "He told me that you backstabbed and hurt people." Though there was no regret present in his expression, I could see that he was struggling to find something to say. He exhaled heavily, almost in an irritated fashion, and replied, "He's not wrong."

My thoughts flew to Damian.

Damian had hurt people left and right, and not cared. He'd killed his own parents, and was looking to kill me. Blood meant nothing to him if he didn't spill it.

"So, what does this mean?" I asked Theo. I was scared of his answer.

"It's no secret that I'm a bastard, Rachel. But I don't want you to be afraid of me." He looked almost exposed, like saying this to me was painful for him.

"Theo, I wouldn't invite someone I was scared of into my home. But…"

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't come out and say that I cared for him, as I knew he wouldn't do…probably.

"So, you aren't scared of me?" "Not at all, but it does make me curious as to whether or not I can trust you." These were words he'd said to me not too long ago. That was the problem in this. He couldn't trust me and I couldn't trust him.

"…That's fair," He said.

"My offer is still there."

 _While it can be, and because I'm selfish enough to still want you around, even if you hurt me,_ I thought.

Theo nodded, and stood, as did I and he walked ahead of me while I replaced the lid on my bottle.

"Rachel?" He said, stopping in the doorway with one hand on the frame and looking back to me. "Yes?"

"It's been obvious to everyone, pretty much anyway. Is it obvious to you too?"

Without waiting for my reply, he walked out the door and I stood frozen, even when the door at the other end of the hall slammed with his departure.

Theo was not one to confess things, that much I did know from the months I'd been here, but his cry to be heard hadn't been any clearer to me that if he'd screamed it at me. Maybe it was because, like a fellow lost soul, I understood his want to be wanted, or maybe it was that I could just read Theo that well.

His words may have seemed confusing, but I heard the direct message: I like you, and that terrifies me, but do you want to try?

Sadly, my answer had to be no, even if he didn't know that yet, and it shattered my heart into a billion pieces. I wanted to stay in Beacon Hills. I wanted to be surrounded by my friends, the people who had come to love me through a lie. I wanted to keep my job and the pretty little house I'd never been able to dream of. I wanted to tell them who I really was, and why I couldn't put them in danger. And most selfishly, I wanted to try and _make_ something with Theo.

But what I wanted didn't matter, and it never had. Survival didn't care how badly it hurt you, or how hard life made it for you. Survival didn't care who you fell in love with, or what promises were supposed to mean. Survival was a cruel, hateful thing that only made you into a shell that people saw. Survival was not living…it was simply staying alive.

I wanted to scream in pain and frustration.

I forced myself to push aside my anguish, and head back to Melissa. If I didn't stay diligent, Damian would win and I would never have the chance to simply live, no matter when that day came, and if it came at all. I needed to set a date to leave, and then I would selfishly live a few more memorable weeks, hopefully even just a single day, any of which I could call Theo mine.

And then I could never be selfish again.

 ****I really hope you all like where this is going! I am so glad you're all sharing it with me! Have a great day!****


	17. Chapter 17: Time Will Tell

_Theo's fingers traced my spine, making circles on the skin of my back._

 _I could say nothing, just soaked up his touch and waited for more. He didn't make me wait long, as his hands made their way to my thighs, his body pressing into mine._

 _I didn't recall us getting here yet, but I didn't care, as long he kept touching me. I saw the flirty little smile on his lips, and suddenly wanted to kiss him, but he didn't let me, not yet. "Rachel," he whispered, his breath washing over my face. No, I thought, not Rachel…Cassia…_

 _But that was who I was to him. Before I had time to get sad about it, he took my face in his hands and pressed himself a little harder onto me. I shifted and allowed him to settle between my legs, and though we were both clothed, I melted with anticipation._

 _Finally, he kissed me. His lips were even softer than I'd imagined, and I let my fingertips slowly trail over his strong jawline. All man, and all mine. He deepened the kiss, making my heart flutter in delight. I'd never had the joy of having my first kiss, and he was making it worth every miserable second that I'd had to wait._

 _His strong arms wrapped around me, and I felt his fingers brush the bare skin of my midriff. His mouth left mine and he placed a series of open mouthed kisses on my throat and neck. Warmth raced through me, and I bunched my fingers in the cotton fabric of his shirt. Rhythmically, his body worked over mine, bringing to life a fire I'd never known before._

 _At last, he allowed me to pull the shirt over his head, and I traced the strong planes of his chest and neck. His eyes were black with passion in the silver light of the moon, then they lit up gold as I met his gaze._

" _Stay with me…" He whispered._

I woke with a deep sense of longing. Obviously, it had only been a dream, and part of me was glad, but the other burned with the need to go back to it.

It had been two days since he'd met me to talk at the hospital.

He hadn't allowed me to contact him yet, which I assumed meant he was giving me time to think things over. I knew what I wanted, and I was going to talk with him today, whether or not he wanted to.

I glanced at the clock. It was just after four in the morning, and I knew he had to be somewhere around town. People wouldn't be out and about right now, and there was no way that I was going to sleep again. I climbed out of bed and into a pair of jeans and a black shirt.

I swiped my car keys from the drawer beside my bed and went out to the car, pulled out into the street and drove. I could be thankful at least that his truck wasn't black, which would have blended into the dark of the morning.

I drove mindlessly for twenty minutes before I saw his truck, sitting alone in an abandoned compound. I pulled into the lot and parked several places down from him, quietly shutting the door and locking the car.

Silently I walked up to the truck and peeked into the back window.

There he was.

He looked so peaceful in sleep. His hair splayed everywhere around his face and across his pillow and he was bundled up in a blanket just long enough to cover him. Moonlight filtered through the glass just enough to outline the features of his face. I hated to wake him, but I didn't know when I'd get to catch him alone again.

I rapped on the window a few times and watched him stir. I could see confusion on his face as he sat up, looking for the culprit who woke him, and I smiled at him through the glass pane. Even though he was irritated, I could see that he seemed a little glad that I'd stopped by.

He slunk into the front seat sleepily and unlocked the doors, allowing me to open the passenger side door and get in.

"You're up early," he yawned, stretching his long arms tiredly. "Yeah, I'm sorry. But you haven't exactly let me talk to you in the last couple days. Had to do what I had to do." "And you couldn't have waited until, like, six?" "Stop complaining, you're a grown man."

"Yeah, a grown man who is constantly being woken up too early for his liking." "Theo," I groaned, trying not to laugh at his whining.

He rubbed his eyes, but turned to me, laying hard on his arm against the middle console. Suddenly, I grew nervous. We both knew why I was here, but that didn't make talking about it any easier.

"You admitted your feelings." I started. "Don't get used to it. It's not something I do often," he said, sounding as guarded as he looked. "And if I told you that it wasn't one sided, what would you say?"

"I'd say…I don't know what to say."

I laughed then, meeting his eyes, "You're just as lost as me, aren't you?" "Partially." He admitted.

I sighed, "Where does this go, Theo? I mean, we're both a little touchy about this, and…we don't know a lot about each other." "Isn't that the whole meaning of dating?" "I wouldn't apply a word like 'dating' to this situation. How about…testing?"

He grimaced, but I could see the humor glint in his eyes. "Really, Theo, though. I want a chance to know a little more about you, as I'm sure you do about me as well, before we dive head first into this thing."

It was the easiest thing I could think of so that neither of us got too attached. Then it would be easier to break it off.

He nodded, scraping at his fingernails, looking like he wanted to say something, and I waited. Eventually, he spoke.

"Tell me something about you, Rachel."

My heart jumped into my throat, but I knew these practiced lies like the back of my hand. He couldn't know the real me.

"I don't know my parents. I'm sure they're out there somewhere. I have a godmother named Angela who is in an assisted living place."

Theo stayed quiet, processing the lies. I wanted so badly to say to him, _"My brother is a terrible, petrifying person. He killed our parents, and now he's hunting for me. I'm scared, and you're the only one who makes me feel safe."_

But I couldn't.

Theo's reply brought me out of that dark place. "I don't have much family either." "Lonely world, isn't it?" "No. I've always had my own back, and it's worked just fine. You've thrown a wrench into all of it. I still could care less about friends, and what's gone on with my family is in the past, but I've never felt like anyone was unreachable. Some deal with me, a lot hate me. That's the way I like it. Simple that way."

Despite his words, I could tell he wasn't pleased with what he'd said to me. I knew that feeling.

"You don't have to be anyone but Theo with me." I said, and I could see the tension leave his shoulders, like he'd been expecting me to be upset. "My world is fragile," I confessed, immediately wishing I could catch those words and stuff them back in my mouth, never to be surfaced again, "I think that's why I value honesty so much."

"I value loyalty, though I haven't been good at displaying it, as you've heard from Liam."

I nodded, then turned. "Well, I have to be at work in a little while. You can come to the cafeteria in the hospital at one if you want." "'Kay." He said.

I climbed out of his truck, and into my car to go back and get ready for work, even though I had at least three hours left.

I locked the door behind me, and took a long, hot shower. I took my time drying off and dressing.

At seven, I heard a knock on my door and was surprised to see Liam.

"Liam, hi, what's up?" I asked, letting him in. He stood in the frame of the archway that separated the kitchen and den as I closed the door and met his eyes. "I just wanted to come chat a little bit." He said.

"That's fine, but I have to be at work at eight thirty, so it can't be a long, long chat," I smiled, "want something to drink?" "Sure," he said, and I handed him a can of Sprite from my fridge.

"So," I said, sitting on my couch and he joined me, "chat away."

"Do you really feel that you know Theo?" He asked out of nowhere. "This again?" I asked, wanting to come to Theo's defense. "Rachel, please, I'm just trying to protect you." "He's not hurt me at all." " _Yet_ ," he stressed, "Theo is only good at hurting people."

"I haven't seen him hurt anyone, not even you." "That's because you aren't around all the time. Rach, he's not the good guy he's portraying. One day, you're going to see his true colors."

"Liam, is there a reason you're trying to-" "He had a pack once." Liam interrupted.

A pack? Once?

"He did? Like…he was an alpha?" "He's not said anything to you about it?" "Well, no, but we haven't really talked a lot in the last…" I could see a spike of anger light up in Liam's eyes.

"He was never an alpha, he can't be. Chimeras are experiments, not actual creatures. But yes, he led a pack." "What happened to them, did they leave Beacon Hills?" "In a way."

"What do you mean 'in a way'?"

"He killed them, Rachel."

My heart stopped, both in shock and anger. Liam had to be lying. "No," I began, but Liam quickly rushed in again. "Yes, he killed them. Ask Corey, he used to be part of that pack! Then he joined Scott's, and mine now."

I stood, feeling sick to my stomach. I was aware that he'd hurt people, but could he really have killed his own pack mates? _Why_ would he do that? I pressed my hands to my head, trying to slow the panic attack before it came out full blown. All I could see was Damian.

Damian had killed those he was supposed to love, care for even, and was still trying to do so. How could Theo have just _killed_ these people, these wolves or whatever, that he had sworn to lead?

"Rachel?" Liam's voice told me he was behind me.

"Liam, please," I said, my voice tiny sounding, "just go."

For a moment, there was no movement or sound, and then I heard his shoes squeak on the wood floor as he quietly left, closing the door behind him.

With his presence no longer there, I sank to my knees, allowing the tears to fall and the hyperventilation to proceed.

Was that all that this life, this hell I'd been forced to endure, had to offer me? Was this punishment for being self-interested just this once? Was I only ever meant to be around, with or running from killers?

I stopped my fit and stood, going to wash my face. I had to force myself not to believe it, not until I got word from Theo. I knew how Liam and Theo felt toward each other, but I also knew that they both cared for me in a way. If Liam thought horror stories could be a way to protect me from someone he deemed dangerous, would he lie?

Did he know anything about my past, or my current problem, that would provoke him to tell me a similar story, regarding someone I trusted?

I supposed I would only find out the truth at one o'clock.

 ****Well, here comes yet another stumbling block in Theo and Cassia's rocky relationship. Theo has proved to everyone through his past actions that he is both a bad guy AND an ally, but what do you think Cassia will think, after she's spent all this time running from a murderer? Thank you for reading, and thank you to Anelle25 for the awesome reviews!****


	18. Chapter 18: Confessions

I felt like a zombie walking into the hospital, and probably looked like one too.

I hadn't had all the time I really wanted to get myself cleaned up, and right now, the last thing I felt like doing was talking. What I really wanted to do was curl up into the fetal position, cry over the unfairness, and then high tail it into another state.

But I told myself that I had asked for this.

When I had allowed myself to get more involved with this town, and the people within it, and the secrets it kept, I had asked for trouble. I was scared of Damian, and how he always found me somehow, but if Theo decided I needed to die, then I would die.

He could follow my scent for miles, he could track for days, and he was supernaturally strong and healed fast. Any damage that I might could inflict would mean nothing if his desire was to kill me too.

Sorrow washed over me again. Pure pain made my knees want to buckle. I knew that I had really liked Theo, but I hadn't known how much until now that I was facing having to break away from him.

Melissa was the first to see me from behind the desk, and her grin slowly disappeared as I approached. I didn't have the willpower to give her even so much as a fake smile. I was far too miserable. She handed her papers and the phone over to Mrs. Vincent, who was too busy to notice me, and came around the desk, opening her arms before she even asked a question.

It had been a long time since I felt the embrace of a mother, and as soon as her arms clasped around me, I felt the presence of my mother, but this time it wasn't of her lying dead on the floor. She was the power in Melissa's hug. It made me realize just how lonely I had been all these years.

Melissa ushered me to a room close by just as my tears began to flow, and she closed it quietly, motioning someone to give us a minute.

"Oh, sweetheart, what's wrong?" She asked, gently pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, and I took a tissue from a box on the table. "I…I got too invested in someone." "Who, if you don't mind my asking?"

Well, nothing to lose now.

"Theo," I sniffed. I could see the wheels turning in her head, and the flames in her eyes as she tried to think of what to say.

"What, um, how did…?"

"Over the past few months," I shrugged, "Liam just told me that he's a killer." She scoffed, but tried, for my sake to stay nice.

"I can't say that it isn't obvious, his attraction to you. I'm not saying your crush was blind, or stupid, or wrong, but there are so many guys out there better for you than him."

It hurt to hear that from her, but I understood. He'd given her cause to dislike him at some point, though I had no clue what had happened before I got here, and I could tell that it tainted her opinion.

"He's going to meet me here at one. I'm going to confront him." "Uhhhh….I'm not too sure that's a good thing to do." "If you're worried he'll react badly, it wouldn't surprise me. That man is hot-headed, but I have to do this."

"I have an electric wand thingy that Chris gave me. I'll zap him if he does anything out of place." I giggled, then thanked her and went to clean up.

After caring for thirteen patients, I dreaded seeing the clock strike one. I had no choice but to head to the cafeteria, so I grabbed an orange from my bag and headed that way.

I was not surprised to see that he wasn't there yet. He wasn't known to be on time, and being ditched was the last thing I was worried about.

I began working on peeling the orange, taking comfort in the smell of the citric oil and doing my best to keep calm.

After a few minutes, I heard the door slam from around the corner, and I knew it was him.

He walked into the cafeteria like he owned the place, that damnably cute and mischievous grin on his face. I lowered my eyes, refusing to acknowledge just how good looking he was, and did my best to keep my heartbeat steady.

I noticed as half the women in the room watched him; some with scorn, some with lust, and others with slight fear, but I knew he secretly loved it. I returned my attention to the orange in my hand, and kept my gaze there.

Seconds later, I felt the table shift as he settled across from me. I looked up to see him flashing his canines in a winning smile, but I wasn't in the mood. Liam's revelation earlier still had me shaken.

Could Theo really, truly have killed the people he was sworn to protect?

"Are you pissed about something? You reek of it." He spoke with a growl. "Appreciate the update on my scent," I said as calmly and un-angrily as possible. Theo grumbled, and I took another quarter sized patch of skin from the orange.

I had no clue when the sorrow had turned to sudden rage, but it had occurred within the fifteen seconds he'd entered and sat down in front of me.

What I hid, I did to protect him, so that Damian wouldn't hurt him, but he lied to me. I hated what I had to keep secret, and he'd shown no intentions of letting me hear this valuable information.

"Where is the attitude spawning from? This morning you were peachy."

I swallowed.

"Theo, did you have a pack?"

Rage showed clearly on Theo's face, turning that charming face into a dark shadow of fury. It was terrifying to witness, but I did my best to stay collected.

"Who told you that?" He snarled, "Let me guess, little Liam Dumb-bitch."

"He didn't do anything wrong. And _you_ didn't answer my question."

I heard a growl forming in the back of his throat. "Yes," he bit, "I had a pack."

Dread filled me before I'd even begun to utter my next question.

"What happened to them?"

"They didn't make it through the change."

"Liam said you killed them."

"I'm going to kill _him_."

I finally met his eyes.

They were glowing with anger, but I saw the truth in them, and suddenly my orange wasn't so appealing anymore.

"I think you should go, Theo. I've got to go back to work." I said dismissively, standing from the table and going to throw my perfectly good orange in the garbage.

"I'm not going anywhere," he stood to follow me, "where the hell do you come off on blindsiding me with this?"

He stayed on my heels as we exited the cafeteria, then he pushed me against the wall in the hall. "Let go." I said.

"No." He hissed. He let my arm go, but kept me pinned with an arm on each side of my head. His face and body were so close that it left me breathless. Suddenly, my recent dream came to mind.

But I felt myself wearing down under his cold glare.

"Why would you do that?" I asked, hearing the smallness in my voice and feeling the tears well up again in my eyes, "Kill people that you were supposed to care about?"

"I was a colossal idiot. With each mate that I killed, I grew stronger. Though I was tricked, it wasn't all on him. I wanted to do it."

I shuddered.

"That was years before I became an ally to Scott and Liam alike. I don't know why that little asshole even brought that up to you."

"Because he cares about my safety." I replied, pushing against his chest then.

He snatched my hands away and pinned them to my sides.

His forehead was almost resting against mine, he was so close. "And you think I don't?"

The question made my heart soar, but I did my best to quiet it. Meeting his eyes, I spoke quietly, letting a portion of my pain enter my voice as I answered him.

"You killed people who meant more and were stronger than me. What in the hell would stop you from killing me if it benefited you?"

His chest began to rise and fall with hurried, angry pants. Releasing my hands, he punched a hole in the brick beside me. His eyes shone gold, his fangs sharp and claws extended.

I waited breathlessly for him to decide what to do. Once he had control, he traced my jaw with a claw gently before drawing my face up to look at him.

I was surprised at the tenderness of his touch, but I could see him reminding me not to push him too far.

"I'm still an asshole," he spoke, "I always will be. But I would never kill you. If I had wanted to, I would have already done so."

No doubt hearing my heart take off, Theo dropped his hands from me, growling close to my ear, which made goosebumps ripple down my arms, and walked out of the exit.

I felt my body begin to shake, and I rubbed my sore wrists, shaking my head.

I felt dazed. That was the first time I had been victim to his anger, and to the possibility of being hurt by his power. Stupidly, it hadn't scared me enough to hate him.

I'd seen pieces of him, vulnerable pieces, in the months I'd been here. And it was true, if he had wanted me dead, I would be dead.

I realized that although he scared me, I was not scared of him the way that I was scared of Damian.

And that was the stupidest thing of all.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

If flames could shoot from my eyes, this whole town would be on fire.

I was so pissed that my eyes still hadn't returned to their normal color, and I kept ducking my head as I passed humans on the street.

When I found Liam, I was going to tear him to shreds.

Fuck being peaceful.

I didn't care if the wyvern killed every single one of these puny humans. I was going to murder Liam, and if Mason and Corey insisted, I'd kill them too.

Let the whole world burn in hell. I'd save Rachel, and show her that I wasn't the jackass I used to be that Liam was showing her.

My actions back at the hospital were probably a tad much, but I'd been so angry at the unexpected accusation, and had allowed myself to lose my temper. And yes, it had scared her, but I saw the determination and the rebellion in those blue eyes. She'd kicked my ass before, and I had zero doubt she'd give me what for next time I saw her, but if I had any say in it, Liam would not be delivering her a past image of me anymore.

He'd gone too far this time, and I was going to make him pay.

I knew he might be with Cora, looking for things on the creature, so I headed to the library first. When that came up dry, I went back to his place.

Bingo.

There was his car.

Without knocking, I entered his house and stomped upstairs. He heard me before I reached his door, and opened it, but I caught him off guard by connecting my fist to his jaw.

He fell to the floor, holding his jaw and quickly standing to fight back, but I buried my fist in his gut before he could say or do anything.

I let rage power my punches, but kept a clear head. If I let anger consume me, I would lose the battle, and I had no intention of doing so.

He grunted, trying to catch his breath and I broke his nose, feeling satisfaction ignite in my chest as I heard the cartilage crunch under my knuckles. Blood spurted through the air, leaving an almost too perfect line across his wall.

I let my claws sharpen, and ripped them across his side and back, leaving behind four deep gashes.

I then allowed him to rest as he laid curled up on the floor, trying to recoup. I popped my neck, breathing hard from exertion, then squatted down beside his body.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He growled, still laying on his side, unable to hold everything that hurt.

"Felt the need to talk about my pack to her, did you?" I growled. "Killing me is only going to prove what I told her." He groaned.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you, I'm going to _pulverize_ you." I snarled, delivering a swift, hard kick directly to his spine.

As his anger flared, he stood despite the pain and whirled, showing me his teeth and roaring at me. I roared in response, then grabbed him as he flew at me and flung him into the desk in the corner of his room.

Papers fluttered everywhere, pencils bounced off the walls and books landed on the floor as he attempted to get up.

"Go ahead, I'll just show her the damage you've dealt. What you could do to her." "You'll heal before then, dumbass and no. You deserve every bit of this, and more. She doesn't."

He flew at me and I pushed him straight to the floor and ground my foot into the space between his shoulder blades, incapacitating him.

"I allowed you to have Hayden, despite trying to drive her away. I saved her life, but all she saw was you, and all she cared about was becoming like you. I may not have had any direct interest, but you still stole her. I will not let you steal Rachel from me too."

I pressed harder into his back, enjoying his grunt of discomfort.

Finally, I took my foot off of his back, and stepped back, and he took a deep breath before standing, reaching again to hold the wounds on his side.

"Keep this up and you won't need me to 'steal' her," he grimaced, "she'll see you for the monster that you are."

"She makes me better, and until you poisoned the well, she was the only one who looked at me for me and not for the things I've done in my past. It's going to take a long time to convince her I can be who she needs now."

"Good," Liam grunted again, "You deserve to have to work for your happy ending. You don't get any free rides."

"Guess I should get started then, shouldn't I?"

 ****Hope you're all enjoying this! Thank you so much for your time and reads (and reviews)!****


	19. Chapter 19: Miles and Miles

Four days.

Two words. One town. A million pieces of my shattered heart.

As I folded up the gray hoodie I'd first been seen in, recently clean and smelling of fresh linen, and pushed it into a duffle bag, I felt my legs weakening and had to sit on the bed.

I covered my face, trying in vain to make my headache go away by pressing against my temples. The anxiety was gone for now, and I was stuck in shades of black and white, trying to figure out my next move.

I had to go north, possibly to Washington. Somewhere that Damian might not figure out again.

The newspaper article from online had stated that this vicious killer had been spotted momentarily in Arkansas, running like a champion, like he was being chased. Once again, he'd evaded cops and had hidden out somewhere.

That left only five states between us. And for me, that was five states too close.

He might only be searching right now, but I couldn't take that chance. If he found me, I didn't know if I could move fast enough. Perhaps I could use the money I'd been stashing to get into Canada and he'd lose my trail.

I hadn't even left yet, but I mourned leaving Beacon Hills.

Finally, I stood again, and went back to packing. I didn't have a ton of clothes, just enough for a single bag, but it would be easier to travel and hide that way. I would take a pillow and the blanket, because who knew when I'd see another again, but everything else had to stay.

I'd pack up all the food I could the day before, and a few toiletries. If I managed right, I'd have enough money to keep gas and food around for a while, after that, I would have to ditch the car, switch to a backpack and depend on nature itself.

I sighed.

I was so tired of running. It was a never ending hell, and no matter how many times Damian went to prison, he would always escape, and he would always come looking for me. I hated that running took from me the things I desired, loved, and hoped for.

In four days, I'd lose everything I'd come to cherish.

I felt myself breaking with each inch of the duffle bag I zipped closed, but didn't allow even so much as my lip to tremble. If I lost it now, I wouldn't be strong enough to go on.

I tucked the bag away for safe keeping in my closet, dressed in jeans and a nice shirt and went for a walk.

I had the next two days off, which gave me time to reflect on the town I loved so much. It would give me time to spend with the ones who had become like family. Just four little days, ninety-six short hours, and I'd collect my last paycheck, pack up in the night and leave in the dark of the morning.

Back to having the moon and sun as companions, back to Mother Nature providing for me, and back to Father Time bringing Damian closer to me.

I made it to Beacon Hills Preserve, where all the lovely trees, now clothed in leaves of emerald green, greeted me. Today made seven months of being here, and friending Cora. Just before six months of working for Melissa. Five months of Liam's, Mason's and Corey's friendship. And about two months of falling for Theo.

My life would never be the same without them, but hopefully, my act would protect them, and in time they would forgive me.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I couldn't pay attention to the list of possible people who could be the creature in front of me. All I could think of was how I was going to make things a little better between me and Rachel.

Finally, I pushed back my chair and stood, walking to the glass door of the vet's office. I had been trying for several days to figure out a sensible way to approach her. Not only had she been made aware of a part of my past, but I had no doubt given her reason to apply that information to me due to how I'd acted.

I felt like I was losing her before I'd even held her, and that was a blow I hated taking. I hated Liam more than words could express for doing this to her, to me, and to the 'us' that could have been. But it was not in me to give up.

I was Theo Raeken, and I hadn't let anything run me over before. I'd successfully become a genetic chimera, I had raised, led and then killed a portion of a pack, I had killed a True Alpha, I had survived Hell, protected those I shouldn't have and effectively taken the pain of the guy who had just put bullets in me.

I would win Rachel's heart too, even after all the reckless things I had done.

"Finding it difficult to focus?"

I startled slightly from the doctor's voice behind me. It wasn't like me to be caught off guard, but at least he was harmless.

"A little." I admitted to him begrudgingly. "I often find that meditation helps." He walked up beside me and I glanced at him in my peripheral vision.

"But for a broken heart…that I'm not so sure." It was freaky how perceptive he was, but that was part of his job. "I'm not broken hearted," I contradicted, "I'm frustrated."

"Have you tried talking to her?" "How could I? She won't." "How do you know she won't? She's a very strong young woman, powerful in heart and mind. But she values honesty, and you broke that. Now, you must earn that trust back."

"I barely had it before. And I didn't break shit, Liam can take the trophy for that." "Liam is doing what he thinks is best for his friend. Granted, it's not always a smart thing, but he means well. You must overcome and show her that despite your previous lifestyle, you can be the important person in her life."

"Is this some sort of Zen teaching?"

"Druids are helpers. Helping is what I do, and specifically catering to your kind. You have a problem, and I provide information to help you solve it."

I finally smiled a little.

"Go to her," he said, "either now or tomorrow, or next month, but go to her. If you don't fight for the things you want, you'll never achieve them, and the Theo Raeken I know is not only _not_ a quitter, he doesn't give in."

With those words, he walked back to his exam room to see to a patient and left me contemplating my next move.

Cora's car came into view from the parking lot. I walked out to meet her.

"Anything?" I asked. "No," she said, slamming the door, "nothing that points anyone out. I'm so sick of this crap."

"Liam?" I asked. "He, Mason and Corey are checking files at the hospital and asking Melissa some questions. Have you seen Rachel around?"

I felt a spike in my chest.

"She's not at work?" I asked. "No, she had the day off. She didn't say anything to you?" "…No."

"Listen," She said, laying back against the car door, "Liam mentioned that you two are having little fights here and there. Why?"

Of course no one had told her anything.

"Rachel." I stated. "What about her?"

"I really am having a hard time believing no one has told you anything." I said, staring her down. She returned my glare, "Liam also mentioned that Rachel had let you stay in her house a few weeks back."

I nodded. "So," she went on, "does that mean you like her?" "Yeah, Cora, I do." "Then what's the problem?"

"Liam told her too soon about my pack. It was too much, and in my anger, I…"

"Listen Theo, I need to know that I can trust you, that _we_ can, as a pack. You're good at starting shit, and we really do not need it right now. If you and Liam cannot put your differences aside for a few weeks until we get this creature, I'm going to rip both of you new assholes. As far as this thing with Rachel, you'd be surprised at the things she can endure. She's a good woman, and she's not going to hate you for your past. But you have to PROVE that it really is a past doing and not a present thing."

I took her words in and processed. I nodded to confirm that I understood.

"Good, now, we're having a group hangout tomorrow in the gazebo outside the hospital. Consider yourself invited, then grow a set and talk to her."

 ****It's shorter, I know, and I apologize, but there's going to be some trouble unfold in the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!****


	20. Chapter 20: Under A Curse No More

This was it.

The last time that I would get to just be myself with the friends I loved. I needed to be diligent in staying calm, and not acting like I was going to fall apart. I forced myself to shower, dress and eat a little something.

This would be a day that I remembered for the rest of my life, and I wanted to look back on it with happiness, not sadness. I reluctantly pulled up a new page on the laptop and typed in Damian's name.

All the links turned up purple, which meant that there was no new information of his whereabouts, and that was both worrisome and relieving. It could mean that he had bunkered down for a while, but it could also mean that he was simply traveling out from under the eye of the public.

 _He's got to be so proud of himself,_ I thought bitterly. He had nothing to fear. No cage could contain him, no person could incarcerate him, and no fear ran in his veins.

I shut the laptop harder than necessary and laid it aside. I looked to the clock. In thirty-five minutes almost to the dot, I would meet Cora and the guys by the hospital to chat, laugh and share a pizza. Their words today would remain with me until the day I died, be it to Damian's hand or old age, be it two weeks from now or forty years. Their memory would be forever.

What hurt the most was that it would be the last time I ever saw Theo, and I couldn't even squeeze his hand. All I could do was look upon him, wishing his lips would touch mine, hoping that at any point in the day, he might say my name or look at me.

Right now, I didn't care what he'd done before. I stored it away in my head to be sad and angry over later, but now, today, all that mattered was seeing him once more. Watching him rake his hand through his stubborn locks, seeing him look at me, or maybe give a little smile, no matter how fake, genuine or mindless.

Sharply inhaling, I stood, took my keys from the seat beside me and went out to the car.

I drove to the familiar setting, seeing Cora and Liam already sitting there. I waved and got out, plastering on a smile and greeting them.

"Hey Rach, you look tired, get enough sleep?" Cora asked. "Oh yeah, just have insomnia sometimes." I waved it off like it was nothing.

Just had to keep my heart beating steadily, even amongst the thrashing it had taken in the last week.

We chatted happily until Mason drove up with Corey, to which we waved again and they joined us. The pizza had come with them and smelled wonderful. It had been a long time since I'd eaten pizza.

I worried if Theo was going to show. I knew he wasn't one to be on time, but would he really just not come? I had to not panic. Maybe it would be easier to just not see him. Perhaps it would be a cleaner break.

As I pondered my thoughts, I saw Cora's head come up and I followed her gaze to watch as Theo's truck pulled into view. I stopped from exhaling in relief, and stared as he parked and made his way over.

He didn't look at me once, but I understood. However, I was very surprised when he took his seat beside me instead of across like I had expected. His knee pressed against mine, his thigh warm against my own.

"Hi, Theo." I said finally, feeling my cheeks warm up from how breathless I sounded. "Rachel," He greeted.

I saw his glare go directly to Liam across from us, and I didn't miss Liam's retaliated scowl. I didn't want my last day with them to be like this, with them fighting or arguing. I wanted my last day with them to be better than this.

I reached over and put my hand on Theo's forearm, stealing his attention almost immediately from Liam. "Glad you could make it." I spoke, "Didn't think you would come."

"Now why would I miss the chance to hang out with all of my best friends?" He asked sarcastically, finally giving me a smile. I chuckled, then offered him a soda from the cooler.

After all our merriment at the table, we moved to the grass to stretch out and relax after filling our bellies. I kept calm once more as Theo settled down beside me, leaning back on his left arm and hip, and propping the other on his knee. We told funny stories, and laughed. For once, Liam and Theo didn't cast any glares.

It was almost magical.

For now, there were no thoughts of the wyvern or who it might kill. No thoughts of where I was going to run, and why I had to leave. No thoughts of leaving this town.

Liam, Mason and Corey began to toss a football around, making them seem even younger as they laughed, tackling and wrestling occasionally over possession of the ball.

Cora was to my left, and Theo had managed to scoot even closer without my noticing. The wind blew a nice, cool air.

I heard a door slam in the distance, but thought nothing of it, until I heard a faraway shout. I turned, as did Theo and Cora, and we saw the sheriff standing by his car. By the passenger door stood a very tall man, serious looking with dark hair and eyes. He had his hands on his hips like he meant business. I could see the glint of his badge hanging on his belt.

The sheriff was waving his arm, and we waved back, thinking he was saying hello. He and the other man began to walk toward us, and I lost my smile as I saw the serious look on the sheriff's face.

I felt terror light up in my stomach.

The sheriff said nothing as they got to just several feet from us, and both men's eyes were on me, like they were studying me, and I didn't like that.

I stood and brushed myself off, trying to remain calm. Theo had stood as well, and the boys had stopped their horseplay.

"Sheriff, Sir," I greeted them both, "We were having a picnic, would you care for something?"

"I knew you looked familiar," The sheriff said with awe, like he hadn't heard what I'd just said. I felt my knees turn to jelly.

"Cassia Whittaker," the other man said, and my blood went cold.

He knew who I was. He'd exposed me, right in front of everyone. Now Damian would find me for sure.

I heard Cora gasp, heard Theo growl, and heard Liam say, "What?"

"Cassia?" The other cop said, reaching out to touch my shoulder. That was the movement that broke my state of shock. I didn't allow him to touch me, and I darted around them, running like hell for my car.

"Cassia, wait!" I heard the sheriff call, but I was already in the car and backing out. I didn't see the looks on anyone's face, but I left, barely missing the cop car as I turned.

My arms were weak with adrenaline coursing through my veins, my legs shaky. I felt my whole body trembling. I had fucked up.

I had stayed too long, and now my trail was as clear as daylight. If the FBI knew I was here, Damian would before long too.

I felt tears well up in my eyes. I couldn't go back, I had to leave all my stuff. That left me with the clothes on my back and the roll of money in my glove box. I hadn't gotten to say goodbye the way I had hoped, and now they knew all the lies I had told them.

They would never forgive me, and I didn't blame them.

I made a sharp right, heading straight for the highway. I needed to hit that, and it could take me to my next destination. At last, I felt the tears escape, and as they ran down my cheeks, I thought bitterly of Damian once more. He wasn't even here, but he had stolen from me.

A life I wanted to live, a town I had loved, a man I wished for…gone.

How could my own name be so dangerous? I supposed at some point, I could get it legally changed, but what would it matter? My picture would pop up every time "Cassia" was typed from Damian's criminal profile.

I pressed harder on the gas, now going 60 in a 45 limit. As if I wasn't obvious before. But once I hit that interstate, I could fly 85 and be gone.

Lost in my thoughts, I screamed when a figure darted, stopped and stood in the middle of the road I was driving on. I swerved and stomped on the brakes, going halfway into a ditch, but not even so much as scratching the car.

"Where the hell are you going?!" The figure roared. I didn't get the chance to form a reply before Theo opened my door and snatched me out of the seat by my upper arms. He shoved me hard against the back door, his eyes gold, and claws tearing into the fabric of my shirt.

"Theo, please," I said.

"ENOUGH BULLSHIT!" He snarled, voice echoing off the trees around us, "Who the hell are you?! You're the wyvern, aren't you?!"

"No!" I said, truly scared for my life right now, "I'm just…me. I need to leave, please!" I was almost willing to beg him.

He slammed me back against the car again, careful not to hurt me too bad, but enough that it stung. "If you don't start talking, I'll kill you myself, before anyone can save you."

I didn't blame him for wanting to. I could tell he was hurt, but finally, the adrenaline had bested me. I was exhausted, but above that, I could not hold in the torrent of tears anymore.

I had been holding them in for years, unable to truly get rid of them, and the dam inside me broke. I didn't care if Theo killed me, right now. At least Damian wouldn't be able to.

The sobs began to rack my body, and I didn't resist as Theo held me where he'd had me. "J-just do it," I said, "please…just be quick."

I saw Theo's face changing through the tears pouring from my eyes. I let my head hang, not wanting to watch it coming, and was astonished when he set me down on my feet.

"You're…really not the wyvern?" he asked, sounding guarded. All I could do was shake my head, and hold myself together as I fell to pieces. "Just a shitty person with a shitty past that won't leave me alone," I finally admitted, attempting to take a deep breath to stop the sobs, "I'm sorry I lied to you."

Theo was silent, but the air surrounding us had seemed to settle.

I wasn't positive that he wasn't still angry, but I hoped that at least he was calm enough to accept my apology.

I went to wipe my eyes, but Theo's touch stunned me. His large hands rested on my shoulders, gently stroking the places he'd more than likely bruised, and I winced slightly. They stung, but I'd live.

He ran his hands up over my shoulders, to my neck, then my face. He tilted my face, so that I could see his eyes, and his thumb stroked away a tear that had pooled in the corner of my eye. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't even really making a face, but it was the softest he'd even looked. His eyes probed mine, gently brushing over every feature of my face.

"You're not a shitty person," He said finally and seriously, never taking his hands from my jawline, " _I_ am a shitty person, but I know bad pasts."

I nodded, "I lied to protect you, all of you. I didn't want you hurt by my problems." "We're not going to be hurt, no one will be, including you, and you can best believe that. Here, let me prove it to you."

I was confused for only half a second before he drew my face to his, and pressed his lips to mine.

Fire shot through me, making my veins explode, the toes curl and my fingertips tingle. His lips were so firm and warm. I had dreamed of this, wished for it, and finally, it had been given to me.

Once I got over the initial shock, I felt my eyes close and my hands reach up and gently grasp his shoulders, then trailed them up his neck and to his face as well. He kept a firm hold on my chin, deepening the kiss.

His other arm came around me to hold me close, and his breath was warm as it fanned over my cheek.

If I died today or twenty years from now, I would die a happy woman.

At last, he took his mouth from mine, his breathing just as heavy as mine. I couldn't bring myself to let him go, so I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head against his chest, hearing his heart pound as fast as mine was. He wrapped his arms around me also, but his face looked down onto me, and I looked up to meet his eyes again.

"I've been waiting forever to do that." He smirked. "I've been waiting forever for you to do that too." I laughed, and he grinned.

He held me for a few more seconds, then pushed me away slightly, keeping ahold of my shoulders.

"So, you're not the wyvern." He stated, and I shook my head again, "I hope you don't expect me to call you 'Rachel' anymore."

I chuckled but shrugged. I wasn't sure where to go with this.

"I guess you don't have to," "You _guess_?"

I laughed then. "Alright, but…try to at least help me keep it on the down low."

"That reminds me. Why? What are you running from? Who?"

I shuddered slightly, but his strong hands gently squeezed, reminding me that all was okay for now.

"My parents' murderer," I said, trying to get around stating that this guy was actually my older brother. I'd tell him later when I wasn't so shook up and was sure he could handle it.

"And why is he after you?" "Because I caught him. I was the only one who ever got away. He's currently in Arkansas. He always finds me, Theo, it's why I have to go."

"You're not going anywhere, did you not just understand everything I said before?"

"You didn't _say_ anything," I snickered. "But it was worth a million words," he said forcefully. I gave a light smile and lowered my eyes, but he took my chin once more and gazed into my eyes. I watched them begin to shimmer liquid gold, and let my hands rest against his chest.

"With or without a pack, come rain or shine, come hellfire and brimstone, I will protect you…Cassia."

And for the first time in almost seven years, my name was not a curse anymore.

 ****It appears Theo has done even more changing of heart! There is still trouble to come, but at least Theo knows some of the truth. Hope you're enjoying and thank you for reading, you guys are what keep me motivated!****


	21. Chapter 21: Promise

"How old were you?"

I was slightly confused about Theo's question, considering it was a non sequitur to what we'd just been chatting about. I was laid up against his chest with my hand resting over his heart as we sat on my couch. We weren't really watching the movie I had on, it was more background noise as we talked. I looked up to him.

"What?"

"When you lost your parents." "Oh," I mumbled, replacing my head up under his chin, trying not to let their memory leave me bitter. "I was sixteen." I answered after a moment.

"And you were alone after that." He stated. "…Yes. I stayed with people here and there, but never long enough to endanger them. It's how I learned how to stitch people up. Not all the families I stayed with were reputable." "Hate to tell you, but this lot you've ended up with isn't much better."

"I don't care. I've learned that sometimes the innocent ones are the dangerous ones and the dangerous ones are the innocent ones. You can protect yourselves, but that doesn't mean I want you hurt. I need to leave, Theo, at some point. The FBI agent spouting out my name to everyone within hearing range was deadly. He might as well have called up my br-, uh, stalker and just told him where I was."

Theo's arm tightened around me, and warmth spread through my veins. "Well, if you have to leave, I'm going with you. I won't leave you unprotected, and I don't know how well I'd fare with you gone."

"You hate feeling that, don't you?" "Every damn second," he admitted, "but you're a good thing. You make me feel…different. Like I'm someone else, and not the person I still can be."

I was afraid to ask, but I had to.

"Would you ever kill me, Theo?" I whispered. "I know that my past actions are…less than desirable. I was young, stupid, and craved power. I learned several years ago that sometimes being powerful only gets you in trouble." He shifted, grabbing my arms and turning me to him, and I met his eyes.

"I will never kill you. I won't promise to never let it cross my mind, but I won't act on it. Consider that one of my rare promises." "Liam said you broke promises all the time, how can I believe you?" "You've stuck with me this long, sweetheart, I'm obviously your catnip," he winked, "and although Liam isn't wrong, he does need to mind his own damn business."

I smiled, and brushed the tip of my thumb over his lips. He hadn't kissed me since that day I'd tried to leave. Weird to think that had only been a week ago when it felt like a lifetime. "Alright, Theo," I said, meeting his eyes again, "I'll put my trust in you. Prove to me that I'm worth your time."

He gave me one of those smiles that only I got to see, and I watched his hazel eyes drop to my mouth, which I parted in response. "You're the only one worth my time. To hell with everyone else."

"Well, I guess that proves what Liam said about you not caring about anyone." I teased, letting my fingertips trace the curve of his jaw. He growled, but it wasn't in anger.

I wanted to lean in and kiss those firm lips, but refrained, and instead asked another dangerous question. "Why did you kill your pack?"

Theo took a deep breath, and looked away for a moment before returning his gaze to me. "I was struggling to run against Scott. He is a powerful Alpha, one who earned his power through determination, not stealing it. I saw him as weak because he wanted to save people, no matter the cost. I still think he can be a complete idiot, but the guy has survived wars you wouldn't believe," he said, wrapping his arm around me once more and pulling me against him, "anyway, we were battling a creature called Le Bete. I was trying to steal its power."

The thought gave me chills.

"Point is, I let my immaturity lead me. I trusted a guy named Deucalion, another powerful Alpha, who was actually working with Scott. Deucalion told me that if I took, in order, pain, life and power, I would be…stronger. My pack were chimeras also, and I killed them for their power. It didn't win me the fight, and I lost those powers eventually anyway."

I nodded, and dared ask, "Did you ever care for them?"

Without hesitation, he shook his head, and I fought the urge to gulp. "No," He said, "I saved their lives, but I was not their Alpha, they were a means to an end in truth. Two of them left me, the other two I killed. They were my pawns, my property."

I laid my head back against his chest once more, and sighed, deciding to change the subject. "How are we going to stop the wyvern, Theo?"

"We have to find its weaknesses. And I don't care what Liam says, I'll kill it if need be." I nodded and stayed silent, thinking of anything that might be a hint.

"What is your opinion on that?" "Hmm?" "If I have to kill it…what is your opinion?"

"I don't really have a say," I said. "Of course you do. We're a team, remember?" "Well…Theo, really, I'm with you, all of you. Of course, don't kill without means, but if you can't do anything but kill it, do so. There's a point where killing can be necessary." "Smart answer," He chuckled, "don't know if I could stand you anymore if you were another Scott." I smiled.

"You're getting that opinion from a girl who lost her family to a murderous leach. Of course I'd justify it to a degree. The man who killed my parents…I would do it myself if I could."

And it was true. I would put Damian down like a rabid animal if I could, but I also knew that if the time came, it was possible I wouldn't be strong enough to pull the trigger. Could I kill my own brother? Yes…and no.

I saw my parents' dead, open eyes flash through my head again, and I fisted my hand in Theo's shirt. "What is it?" He asked.

"Just…some bad memories." I said. "Parents?" "Yeah," I said, then looked to him, "will you stay with me tonight?"

He nodded, and tucked me into him. I had never felt so safe in my life. All those years I had to decline invitations to parties, study groups and after school activities, the people I left behind to keep safe, never to see again, and all the roads I'd traveled just to be a step ahead of my brother, they meant nothing if I was in Theo's arms.

It said something that I was to Theo what he was to me. A safe place, free of our pasts.

Explaining things to Liam, Corey, and Mason hadn't been easy. At first, they were confused, and Liam was mad, but they had understood, especially after the truth of trying to keep them safe came up. They were good young men, and I respected them.

Time rolled around to ten p.m., and I rubbed my eyes. "Sleepy?" Theo asked, humor in his voice. "Yeah, think it's time to go to bed," I said, smiling.

Theo untangled himself from me, and stood, then startled me by pulling me up into his arms. "I'm not a toddler, Theo," I mumbled, too happy to be in his arms to refuse too much, "I can put myself to bed."

"Gives me the excuse to hold you," He said with a sly grin.

He walked into my room and placed me gently on the mattress. He went to grab the blankets from the top of the closet to make up the couch, and I inhaled deeply.

"Theo?" I asked. He turned and looked at me. I scooted over to the left side of my bed and made the offer with a look. "You sure that's a good idea?" He asked.

"I don't care if it is or not. Just hold me." I said, and he put the blankets back up in the closet. He removed his jacket and shirt, leaving him in his jeans, then his shoes followed. I smiled and turned the lamp off, feeling the bed dip beside me. I turned and let my back rest against his chest. His arm came around me, locking me in place against him, and I felt his lips gently graze my ear.

"Night," I said, feeling my lids grow heavy.

"Night," he whispered.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

 _It could be like this every night_ , the voice in my head spoke.

It had been all of twenty minutes since laying down, and already, Cassia was asleep. She was so warm and soft against me, and her gentle breathing was mesmerizing.

How in the world had I ever called her Rachel? She was not a 'Rachel', she was my Cassia. It fit her so much better, and I couldn't imagine it otherwise.

I wasn't sure when, but I would eventually make our relationship official, and she'd be my girlfriend. Right now, we were going through the motions for time's sake, but after the wyvern was either dead or saved, I would take her on an actual date.

I drew her even closer, and even in slumber, her response was immediate. She shifted to fit my shape better and I laid my head close to hers. If Liam tried to take this from me now, I'd finish what I had started last time.

Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon, so I let my thoughts take over. When we were finished saving this town's ass once again, I needed to begin putting some roots down. If Cass and I were ever going to live together, it wouldn't be at her house with her as the breadwinner. Just the thought made my pride sting and burn. I wanted her to be my queen, not my bitch, and I would find a way to provide for her.

I had to stop myself from going too deep into the thought of life with her. I wanted that, but the ball had to be in her court. I wasn't for the idea of marriage, and that might be something of importance to her. I supposed we'd figure it out once we got there.

There was also the matter of a family. I didn't have much of one, and she didn't have any. I felt dread in my stomach at the thought of telling her about Tara.

She might could look past the pack, but would she be able to look past what I had done to my sister? I regretted it, killing her.

Yeah, she was a pain in the ass, but Tara had been a good big sister, and I'd shown her how much I cared by letting her freeze to death.

It would have to come out to Cassia eventually. She would want to know why I was taking white lilies off in secret.

Hopefully, she'd forgive me again.

At last, my lids began to get heavy, and I cuddled closer to Cassia and drifted off to sleep.

 ****Hope you're all enjoying! Thank you for reading, you guys rock! Also, happy 2018!****


	22. Chapter 22: Elusive Safety

I crossed my legs as I sighed impatiently once more.

I was at the police station again, this time, waiting on the FBI agent to talk to me. He was taking his sweet time talking to the sheriff, and hadn't once even acknowledged me. He had about thirty more seconds before I brushed him off instead and left.

He hadn't seemed to hear me when I told him that I had to be at work by two, and I didn't need to be late. Melissa was counting on me.

I hadn't even gotten this guy's name, I only knew him as the man who had exposed me to my friends and could potentially get me killed.

"Cass," The sheriff called from his door, "you can come in now."

I stood and moved toward the door, hearing him shut it behind me as I came in and sat on the bench. The agent eyed me, then looked back to his papers on the desk.

"You haven't had a picture taken in a while, have you Ms. Whittaker?" "Well, I haven't really had the time, considering I'm literally running for my life. I'll make sure to put that on my to-do list."

The agent grimaced and walked toward me. He was a very tall man, with dark hair and eyes that made him look intimidating. I got a quick glance at the name on his badge: Rafael M.

He put his hands on his hips and stared me down. "Your brother is certainly in hot pursuit. He killed many in his last attempt to get out of prison." "Let me guess, you want information." "We _need_ information. You're his sister, you've got to know something."

"Um, in case I wasn't clear enough, I have been RUNNING for my LIFE. I haven't seen him in six years, and I want to keep that streak going for as long as possible." "You're saying his only sole purpose is to find you?" "And kill me, yes."

"Might be good to have her around after all," he turned and muttered to the sheriff, whose eyes squinted. "She's not bait, Agent. She's a human being, one I intend to see protected. Isn't it enough that you've taken base here to wait for him?"

I gasped, stealing both of their attention.

"You mean…he's already found me?"

"No," the agent said, "but it appears that he's close. Do you know where he is currently?" "Last I saw was Arkansas," I said breathlessly, placing a hand over my heart, which was bludgeoning my ribcage.

"I got report in this morning, he's no longer in Arkansas. Last night he was spotted in Seminole, Oklahoma. He had a freshly murdered man under his foot. Tell me something, Cassia," He squatted down to meet my eyes, "is your brother a cannibal?"

The thought made me sick to my stomach.

"No," I said, "just a murderer. Why?" "A report claimed blood to be on his face, particularly around his mouth." "It was like that when he killed our parents too," I said, blinking fast to keep the tears from forming, "he gets so into it…it's messy."

I glanced quickly at the wastebasket beside the sheriff's desk then brought my eyes back to the agent's. The man sighed and stood, walking slowly back to the file he had open on the table.

"Cassia, your brother is in the top ten of the most wanted. We want to nab him as much as you want him put away. Anything you could tell us, let us in on or advise us on would be incredibly helpful."

"I haven't seen him since the night he got dragged out by authorities, promising to kill me. There is nothing I can tell you but this: If he comes here looking for me, tell him where I am and stay out of his way."

"Absolutely not!" The sheriff yelled, "You're a citizen of Beacon Hills and it is my duty to protect those within its boundaries. I will not hand you over to someone who wishes to kill you."

"Though I appreciate your concern, sheriff, you do not know my brother. You only know some of the things he's done. If he gets to me, there will be no stopping him, and you can't get in the way and get yourself killed. At this point, I'm simply pushing my luck."

"Regardless," he replied, "I will do what I have to do to see that you're safe. Let me know if you need help at all. If you find any additional info, please call me. Go on, now." "Wait a minute, Stilinski, you can't just-"

"Go on, Cassia, I'll see you later."

I stood hurriedly and left, hearing the two men begin throwing words at each other before I got out fully.

My shoulders were exhausted with the tension in them, and the ache had settled between my shoulder blades. I relaxed a little though, when I saw Theo's truck in the parking lot. He was leaned up against the tailgate, hands in his pockets and wearing a sly grin.

I smiled without thinking and walked over, greeting him with a quick hug.

"So, what's the verdict?" He asked, letting his arm rest around my shoulders. "Well, the stalker is closer than I previously thought, he killed another innocent person and we're still not close to finding out what the wyvern's weaknesses are, so the verdict is poor."

"Actually," he said, pulling out his phone, "we did learn one thing. Wyverns are known to be immune to fire and ice. Maybe we should start testing people." "By burning or freezing them?" I asked.

"Why not?" "Theo, no, that's inhumane." "Whatever it takes. We can't continue to walk on eggshells, people are dying." "That doesn't mean we can just…injure or kill innocent people. That's exactly what I'm running from right now."

Theo sighed, pulling me closer to him and putting his head on top of mine. "Alright," he said, "well, do us a favor. You have access to files we can't get. Begin looking through them, and see who is relatively new to Beacon County. Around when you showed up."

"That's why you thought it was me." I guessed, and he nodded. "Okay," I agreed, "I'll scan them. Drop me off?"

"Yeah."

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

Once I had dropped Cass off at work, I drove around, letting my mind wander.

We had to figure out a way to test people without harming them, because Cassia was right, we couldn't do the very thing that she'd been victim to for years. Though I had no qualms of killing, I didn't want or need to give her reason to doubt I could tell the truth.

My phone went off, announcing a text message, and opening it, I saw Liam's name.

" _Doc Deaton leaving for a few days._ "

Did that mean that he might have found a way to stop this thing? If he had, we needed to know so that we could prepare.

" _Advice?"_ I sent back.

" _Might be on to something. Stand by."_

I nodded to myself, and went on driving, and rolled the windows down for fresh air.

I was glad that Cassia had the next day off. That meant I could spend the day with her. If Liam knew about me kissing her that day she had been exposed, he hadn't done anything to try and break it up. But I assumed he was just waiting for the right time. Liam was a sneaky, conniving little bastard sometimes.

I whipped my head up mid-thought, slamming on the breaks.

I caught a scent, one unfamiliar, but I knew it all the same. It was the creature!

I pulled over to the side, and got out. Quietly, I followed it into the woods.

This thing was close by, and I needed to be extra stealthy. I thought about texting Liam, but decided against it. He would only make me wait, and if I caught this creature by surprise, I might could kill it before it got away.

I was careful not to step on any sticks, dry leaves or rocks, doing my best to stick to silence. I felt myself shifting, and I allowed my wolf form to emerge. Dropping onto all fours, I was a lot quieter, and if this creature did spot me, I would be faster at getting away.

The scent lingered over about a mile into the woods, and finally the scent hit me so strong, I knew to begin looking. I crept about the trees, keeping a sharp eye out.

Sensing movement to my left, I turned slowly, and saw…a person?

Carefully, as not to alert them, I basically tiptoed over to a tree close by. From the back, the features weren't prominent, and I had a hard time telling if it was male or female, but I knew one thing: it had coal black hair, just above the shoulders.

I saw the thing begin looking around.

It must have sensed my presence, and I quickly darted silently back into the woods. Thankfully, I hadn't been noticed. My heart was racing, and I felt the urge to turn back around and attack, but that wouldn't be the smartest, especially when I hadn't told anyone, nor did I have backup.

I had one more little detail though, and that was important.

 ****Doc Deaton leaving? That almost always results in finding a way to stop whatever creature they're dealing with! Think he'll find it? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!****


	23. Chapter 23: A Plan In Motion

"Black hair?" I asked into the phone.

" _Yes,"_ Theo responded, _"I saw the back of the creature. Can't tell whether it was female or male, but the black hair was visible."_ "I should really be angry at you for putting yourself in danger like that." _"Boy, have I got stories to tell you one day."_

I scoffed, then said goodbye and hung up. That man was something else.

Two days before, the doctor had left, and was promised to return sometime this week, and hopefully, he would have some advice on how to stop this creature. We could only hope.

My stomach sank as I watched a stretcher come in with a filled body bag on top. It was the third in two weeks. The creature was getting smarter, faster and deadlier. I didn't want to see another dead body in my life after this ordeal.

I punched in my time and clocked out, grabbing my bag from under the counter. Theo was on his way right now to pick me up, though I had insisted I could take my own car. But, stubbornly, he got his way.

As I walked out, I saw the gray clouds in the sky, and upon sitting down on the bench under the pavilion, I heard the rain begin to fall. The leaves on the decorative bushes behind me fluttered as the drops hit them, and the concrete near them began to darken.

A few minutes later, Theo pulled up under the drop off and I stood, walking to the passenger side and hopping in.

"Hey," I said, and he smiled. "Work go alright?" He asked, pushing the accelerator. "Went fine. As for results on the files, there wasn't much. A young couple, a teenage girl, a family of four, all pretty normal."

I purposefully failed to mention that Zinnia Rubek had been the teenage girl…with raven black hair. It could be just coincidence.

I wasn't going to point any fingers right away, after all, she had given me no reason to suspect her. If Theo knew that I would be checking into her life more, he might jump the gun. There were only certain things I trusted him with, and I didn't trust him to not try and hunt her down and kill her before we knew for certain.

"Damn," he muttered, glaring out of the windshield in thought. He leaned against his door, leaving only one hand on top of the steering wheel and covering his mouth with the other as he searched his mind. I let my eyes roam over him, wanting more than ever to reach out and touch him.

But I refrained.

When the time came, we'd get closer, and right now, we had enough on our plates without throwing in a stressful relationship. Deep in thought, Theo and I both startled when my phone went off with Liam's text sound. I read it, then turned, slightly stunned, to Theo.

"The doctor is coming back day after tomorrow. He says that he's found something." "Already? He must have had some sort of connections."

I shrugged, replied to the message and put my phone away.

"Cass," Theo said. "Hmm?" "We need to sit down and talk about some past things. If we're ever going to get past this phase we're in, it has to happen…and you're not going to like everything."

I nodded, knowing there was things he wouldn't like to hear about me either. But, I was glad that he was willing to take this step.

"Well, I have a completely free afternoon. I made lemonade this morning." "Are you sure we should talk so soon?" He asked. "Theo, I have a stalker after me, there's a wyvern on the loose killing people, and unlike you, I'm not supernatural. I could literally be killed at any given time. There is no such thing as too soon, only too late."

"It's just…going to be a lot of information." "Well, I get the idea that a lot happened before I showed up." "You're not wrong."

I took a deep breath, and spoke again, "Theo, there's things about my past that you wouldn't like either. It's why I have a hard time trusting you, and with the revelation of your pack…"

"I was about seventeen years old, Cassia. Teenagers, children, do really dumb things." "I couldn't afford to," I said, giving a light and wistful smile, "doing dumb things would have cost me my life."

"Well, we can't all be as perfect as you," he replied. "Don't say that." I said, trying not to be angry, "I'm far from perfect. My life is one huge ball of fuck up. Until I came to Beacon Hills, no place in the world saw me for me. I haven't been called Cassia in six years. I don't give a damn about you fucking up in the past, what I care about is are you going to do it again? And when, and who? I want to know I can trust you without doubts, and that in no point in my life will I ever have to run from you. Because I can't run from you…I could never hide, never fight back. You're the only one who has ever brought balance to my life, and I don't want to die because of that."

Theo parked the truck on a patch of dirt and grass beside the road and turned to me. He grabbed my hands and pulled them to his chest, making sure he had my undivided attention, and boy did he.

"You will not die to my hand or anyone else's. Remember my promise? I will not be making any assurances to not kill others who deserve it, like this stalker of yours. If he comes here and will not leave peaceably, I will kill him. But there won't be another pack, and other than Liam, there is no one here that has pushed me far enough to kill them."

I giggled, and he leaned farther, placing a hand on the side of my face, which I leaned into. "If I haven't made it obvious enough that I care for you by now, you're blind and stupid. I can't change the person I was, and the person I am. We are both bastards, but I do know that both sides of the coin have their pros and cons."

I smiled, and leaned harder into his hand, which he gently plowed into my hair. I watched his lips part, like he was going to kiss me again, and I wanted him too. I made the offer by inclining my body toward his, and he responded by doing the same.

My heart began to pump faster, and judging by the ways his jumped underneath my left palm, I'd say he was looking forward to it too. I inhaled the strong, manly scent of his deodorant, taking comfort in the familiarity of him, and felt warmth as his face grew close to mine.

Closing my eyes, I held my breath as his lips brushed mine without any force, bringing goosebumps to my skin. Just as he began to apply a little more force to the kiss, we both jumped at the sudden, sharp sound of rapping on his window.

Theo whipped around and I was still trying to catch my breath as we turned to look at the intruder. Liam stood grinning from ear to ear in front of the window, and I felt my cheeks redden. Theo rolled down the window.

"What?" He griped. "Hope I didn't disturb anything." He said innocently, but with a wicked smile.

"Oh, no of course-"

"You know you did!" Theo interrupted me, "Now, I repeat 'What'?"

"What if we tried to trap this thing?" Liam said, serious. "Trap the wyvern? Liam, you're a genius, how did you ever come up with that?" Theo asked sarcastically. "Do you really want me to punch you in the balls right now?" Liam griped back.

"Boys!" I said, snapping them out of it, "Come on, now. Liam, where and when would we even think about doing this?"

"We need to do it somewhere that could take a beating, maybe the school locker room? A basement?" "And what exactly do you suggest we do to trap it, Liam?" Theo asked, "Put a leash on it, lead it there, and then kindly ask it to stay put?"

"I'm getting there!" Liam bit, "It will have to be something that either Mason or Cass does, because we're going to need all hands on deck to lead it there. Then, we try and seal it in with wolfsbane."

"Wolfsbane?" I asked. "Yes, wolfsbane is nearly impossible for my kind to get through. It's a barrier. If the supernatural rules apply to the wyvern, then we can seal it away and try to make it change back into its human form. Then we figure out what to do."

"And how do you make it change back?" I asked.

"Pain." Theo said, turning to me and looking at me from under his lashes.

I nodded, and licked my lips. "So…that means you're going to have to be up close and personal." I said, not really having to ask. "Yes," they both said in unison. "But," Liam continued, "this is where we'll have help. Chris Argent is human, and he's a hunter. If we can seal this thing in somewhere, the pain can be dished out through his devices, and he won't go overboard." He said, glaring at Theo, who rolled his eyes.

"How about Cora, is she in on this?" "Yeah, spoke to her earlier. She even suggested something about an old, desolate bank vault. Said she might know a place." "Okay, so, all we need to do is prep this. When do you want to do it?"

"Tonight." Liam said, "Chris, Cora and I will arrange it all and text you the details later. Cassia, more than likely Mason will be busy, and that will leave you to put down the wolfsbane, do you think you can do that?"

My stomach flipped, but I nodded. "Good, thanks. Chris will be with you to show you how to use it. I'll message you in a couple hours."

With those words, Liam ran off back to his car and drove off.

"Cassia," Theo began. "Please don't try to talk me out of this. We're a team, and I want to do what I can."

Theo snickered, "I wasn't going to. Just…listen to Argent, alright? He's a badass, and dangerous, but he knows his stuff." "I'm not you, Theo," I grinned, "I know how to take orders AND follow them."

"Har-de-har," He said, turning to face me again, and took my face in his hands, "Seriously, though. Pay attention to your surroundings. I know you don't have hearing or sight like us, but you're smart, and you know what it takes to stay alive. Use that knowledge."

"Yes, Theo." I said, giving him a small smile. "Good." He said, giving me one of his light smiles also and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

 ****Alright, another chapter! Hope you're all looking forward to the next chapter, it's going to be a bit of a doozy! Thanks for reading!****


	24. Chapter 24: Mountain Ash

I slid the black tank top over my head and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.

Shit was about to go down, and I was to meet Chris Argent and the pack in thirty minutes. I snagged my keys and made my way down to the vet's office to meet up with everyone. We were going to discuss the plan, then off our separate ways to do our assigned jobs.

Theo, Liam and Cora were there upon my arrival, and Argent pulled in just as I did. We were only missing Corey and Mason.

I got out of the car, finding Theo's eyes first and he winked at me. I smiled and came to his side, watching as Chris unloaded heavy artillery from the backseat of his car. There were all sorts of odd gadgets I saw him grab.

"Okay, so Deaton will be back day after tomorrow, and he should have some insight on this creature. Until then, we have to do what we can to stop it from killing anyone else." Liam spoke as Argent approached. "Agreed, so what's the exact plan and who is going where?" I asked.

"Theo, Cora and I are going to go track down, find and lead this creature back to the abandoned bank vault. Here's the address," Liam said, handing a slip of paper to Argent, "You and Cassia go straight there and lay down traps. Cass," He looked to me, "this is where we'll need you. Argent will give you the mountain ash when you arrive. He'll also instruct you on how to use it."

I nodded and met Argent's eyes for confirmation and he nodded also. "Liam," he spoke, "as soon as you get within five hundred yards of the vault, you need to howl, roar, anything. When the wyvern comes in through the entrance, I will use flash bolts to guide it into the open room and Cassia will seal it off. You must be careful not to get bitten or scratched by it in the meantime. You've seen what it can do."

"Alright," Theo said, "so we find this thing, and we provoke it. Shouldn't be hard." "Wait, what are Mason and Corey doing?" I asked. "They're out searching right now. With Corey's ability to turn himself and Mason invisible, we're hoping they can perhaps find a sign of it quicker than us just running around in the dark. Don't worry, they're perfectly safe." Liam replied.

"So, let's get to it." Theo said. Liam and Cora began to walk off, and I started walking toward Argent's car when Theo's hand gently grabbed my forearm, turning me to him.

He pulled me close and put a hand to my cheek, looking into my eyes and I gave him a light smile. "Just…be careful, okay?" He said.

"I will be. You try not to get yourself killed, yeah?" He rolled his eyes then backed up and ran off with Cora and Liam.

"Impressive." I heard Argent say behind me. "What?" I asked, turning.

Chris was reloading a machine gun, almost mechanically, like he'd done it a million times. Come to think of it, he probably had.

"Theo Raeken isn't the soft type." He said, not looking at me as he pulled a box of bullets from his jacket pocket. "And?" I asked.

"He must care for you a lot more than he lets on. Anyway, are you riding with me or following me?" "I'll follow. Doesn't seem like a good idea to leave my car in the open alone."

He nodded again, threw the gun into the passenger seat and climbed in. Just as he pulled out to leave, I did also and followed him to a huge, isolated and decrepit bank. An odd logo stood out on the front of the building.

I climbed out of the car, staring a little longer at the old place until I noted Chris's almost amused look and sheepishly walked to him. "Enjoying the sightseeing?" He asked with a smile. I blushed and shook my head, "Sorry, just a little creepy."

"Look," he said, waiting until I met his eyes to go on, "this is a dangerous thing we're doing, and it's your first time. If you want to back out, I, and the others, will understand."

I gaped.

"No," I said, "these are my friends and the town I love depending on me. I'm not going to run away when it gets a little frightening." "You don't seem to understand that you could die, or at the very least, get hurt." Chris said, sounding slightly bitter as he faced away from me to load an arrow with a strange arrowhead on top onto a crossbow.

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made." I responded, looking to the ground, and I heard him chuckle darkly. "You sound like a hunter." He said, then pulled the loaded gun from the seat and slung it over his shoulder.

I quieted, then followed behind him as he walked into the building, holding his bow up suspiciously to scope the place out.

"All clear. Here's the open vault." He said, heading toward a huge bank vault door, dusty and slightly damaged. Inside, there were a few shelves and some windows up at the top of the back wall. A pillar stood near the back left and right walls.

There were dents, scratches and holes in the walls, like there had been a war.

Walking inside, I brushed my fingers over the crumbling enclosure, looking to the traces of black dust on my fingertips as I stroked the surface. Deep in thought, I startled when Chris's voice rang out in the quiet.

"I'm surprised Cora was willing to come back here." He stated, pulling an odd stick-like contraption from his bag. "Why?" I asked, facing him.

"She must not have told you," he murmured, "Cora's first visit back here several years ago ended up inside this very vault. As you can see, reuniting with her brother caused some…trouble."

"Cora was trapped in here?" "Held hostage by another Alpha and his pack. She was going to be used as bait to force her brother to join their ranks." "Why hold her here?"

"It's secluded, and the walls are made with a mineral called hecatolite. You might know it as-" "Moonstone." I answered. Chris looked up at me and nodded, "Yes, and moonstone scatters moonlight. The Alpha held her here and she didn't shift for three full moons. She went insane, tried to kill her brother and Scott."

I shook my head, feeling terrible for Cora.

"Alright, I've got everything loaded. Now comes your part." He stood and took a glass bottle with a glittering black substance that resembled sand in it. "This is mountain ash. It creates a barrier to either hold it or keep out supernatural creatures. All we can hope is that it works."

"Why wouldn't it?" I asked, taking the bottle from his extended hand. "Sometimes the rule doesn't apply to certain…creatures."

I gave him a questioning look. "If they're all supernatural, then how could-"

My heart jumped when I heard a wolf's howl. They'd found the creature, and were too close! We hadn't expected them to find it so soon!

"Quickly!" Argent said, snatching his bag and bow and racing toward the front door of the building, "Put it in a line around the room with a small break at the vault door! I'll keep it busy as long as possible!"

Panicked, I took the cork from the top and began pouring it in a line around the walls. I tried not to run and make the line too thin, but I wanted to.

Seconds later, a loud roar echoed through the entire vault, making shivers go down my whole body, and I hurried along with the ash a little more.

"Stop it!" I heard Liam shout from outside, and a bright flash lit the room outside the door from my place. "Keep it busy for just a second more," I murmured, biting my lip as I hurried to finish up the line.

"Don't let it claw you!" Theo yelled. I had no idea what was going on out there, which scared me, and another blinding flash illuminated the room.

"CASSIA!" Liam shouted, "You need to get out of there now!"

I had just finished, leaving a little break in the line, and decided to go for the door. Halfway to the door, I kicked a big piece of hard rubble on the floor, and fell to the floor. The glass bottle with the small bit of ash we still needed flew from me, and shattered in a small pile of powder and glass on the floor.

"No, damn it!" I shouted, "Guys, the bottle-"

Another flash, this one so close it made my eyes burn, and I ducked, shielding my stinging eyes.

"Cassia!" Theo shouted, and as I looked up, I did not see Theo, or anyone.

In front of me, blocking the only exit, was the huge creature. It's silver, reptilian eyes glared at me, and it hissed. A thin plume of green smoke drifted from its nostrils, and it hissed. Without thinking, I backed up.

The guys were yelling their heads off, but all I caught was Argent's name and a few other meaningless words.

The wyvern stepped forward menacingly, knowing I was at its mercy, and from the sound of it, my friends were either hurt or trying to find a way to stop it. The creature's scales shimmered in the dim light of the room, its claws razor sharp and teeth poked out from two corners of its mouth.

It was even taller than I had remembered.

Terror ran through me, and I took another dangerous step backwards. It hissed again, then tromped forward. I saw it raise its hand, claws ready to rip me to shreds.

It happened in slow motion.

I watched as the hand swung forward, and I exhaled deeply, awaiting death. Soundlessly, it came toward me, and all I could think about in that last split second was my parents, Theo, and Beacon Hills. In a way, people were right. Death was the peaceful part.

Just as the claws nearly struck my head, Theo barreled into the creature's side, knocking it away. Just as I formed a scream, fire ignited just above my right hipbone.

Groaning, I fell down to my knees, holding my side. I shook when I felt sticky wetness. Blood.

Had I been cut by the claws? If so, I was dead.

"Theo," I grunted, but he couldn't hear me. He was fighting the creature, black and red blood alike spilling on the floor.

"Seal the barrier!" Theo screamed, still not having seen me.

My side screamed in pain, and I fell on my side, unable to curl up as my side burned in misery.

"Theo…"

I wanted to scream for him, but could only manage a whisper. I had never felt pain like this before.

"LIAM!" Theo shouted, "Come help me!"

Like a bolt of lightning, Liam and Cora came in and held the creature.

"Shit!" I vaguely heard Liam yell. "Cassia!" Cora screamed, and I watched as Theo turned, noticing me for the first time.

His golden eyes went brighter, and he shoved the creature, pushing it away and holding it to the best of his ability.

"Someone get her out of here!" Theo said. "You're the only one that can cross the barrier once it's sealed," Liam said, "Argent's down and no one else can touch it."

The creature spun against them, breaking free of their grasp and they acted fast. Liam intercepted its path toward the door and Cora brought it down. Theo delivered a series of blows to its back.

I bit my lip as my side protested again, and I looked down, horrorstruck to see my own blood pooling around my midsection on the floor.

"Guys!" A new voice shouted from the front door.

Mason.

"We brought some help!"

From the vault door, Doctor Deaton appeared. "Wolves, get out of here now!" He bellowed. In one movement, Cora and Liam sprinted for the doorway, and the doctor connected the mountain ash line, sealing us in.

"Theo, NOW!" Liam screamed.

So fast I almost missed it, Theo was crouched beside me. He lifted me, producing a shocked, agonized scream from me as he disturbed my lacerated flesh. I heard the roar of the creature again and the whoosh of its upcoming attack.

Theo rushed to the doorway, soaring over the line of mountain ash like it was nothing. I heard a zapping sound right behind us, snatching only a glimpse of the creature bashing against a bluish barrier.

It had worked. The creature was sealed inside.

"Guys," Theo said, looking down at me.

Liam and Cora came over. Liam had a hard look on his face, and Cora had her mouth covered in shock.

"Get her to my office, now. I'll be right behind you." Doc Deaton's voice floated over.

When Theo took another step, air hissed through my lips. My side was pressed against his stomach, and I could feel that my blood had already soaked the front of his shirt as well. "Theo," I said with a groggy, rough voice, feeling a red hot tear slide from the corner of my eye.

"Shh, try not to talk," he murmured softly, and gently tightened his grip on me. "Come on, get in her the car." Liam said, ushering him toward the vehicle. "Where's Argent?" Theo asked him, smoothly climbing into the backseat, still holding me.

"Corey rushed him to the hospital. Melissa is going to watch over him."

In a matter of seconds, the car was in motion. Theo brushed the moisture from the corner of my eye tenderly, then constricted his grip as we went over a bump and I squeezed his forearm, grunting audibly.

"Sorry, Cass," Cora whispered from the driver's seat.

I took short, somewhat steady breaths, and took Theo's fingers in mine. "You're going to be okay, Cass," Theo said under his breath, his eyes staring into my own. I groaned as pain seared through my side again, and kept a hold on his hand. "You say that like you know for sure," I panted, attempting a smile.

His worried face frowned harder, and he brushed the hair from my forehead lightly and stroked my cheek with his thumb.

After what felt like an eternity, we made the familiar turn into the doctor's place. Once the car stopped, Theo opened the door and tried not to jostle me too much as he got out. I reached for my side, sucking in a breath as my fingers met slippery, torn flesh and cloth.

I felt the cold of the air conditioned room as he stepped through the doorway. "Lay her here, carefully." Doc Deaton said, and Theo reluctantly obeyed.

I held my breath, trying not to make him feel any worse, as he laid me down on the icy, steel operating table as gently as he could. I took a look at the damage I'd done to his shirt.

I hoped he didn't like that one too much.

"Cassia, breathe slowly. I need to assess the severity of your wound." Doctor Deaton stood over me, his kind face blocking the sharp light in my face. I nodded and took a slow, painful breath.

I felt his chilled hands on my side, and he cut the fabric away from my skin slowly. Liam, Cora and Mason stepped outside, leaving Theo alone with us.

"That's deep, and unfortunately, you're not going to heal like they do. I'm going to have to stitch you up."

"Green veins?" I mumbled.

"No, no green veins. It caught you with its tail. Deceptively dull looking, but like a razor blade. You're lucky, it's the only place that doesn't secrete toxic venom."

I saw Theo put his hands over his face and shake his head roughly before composing himself again. He braced up against the table in the corner, watching every move that the doctor made.

"Theo." I requested, holding my left hand out to him. He made his way over and took my hand. I cleared my throat and spoke, "This isn't your fault. It's no one's fault, okay?"

He nodded, and I smelled antiseptic as the doctor brought forth a bottle of alcohol, a hooked needle, thread and bandages. "Lidocaine," the doctor said, producing a needle, and I gritted my teeth.

When the needle first pierced the skin, fire erupted throughout my aching side, and then it vanished. Confused, I looked up slightly to see what the doctor was doing, and he hadn't stopped.

Then I looked over to Theo, whose breath was shuddering, and the grip on my hand tensed. I watched as blackness inched up into his hands, arms and neck and it dawned on me: he was taking my pain.

Feeling barely anything at all now, I grew suddenly very sleepy. Talking against my heavying lids, I found the strength to murmur his name.

"Go to sleep, Cassia. I'll be right here when you wake up."

 ****Loving this side to Theo! Cassia is going to be just fine and they have the creature sealed away, but what can they do to make it change? Will it, and who could it be if it does? Thanks for reading guys!****


	25. Chapter 25: Stitches

"You can't keep doing things for me like this, I am an independent person, you know." I teased Theo as he reached up into the cupboards for a glass.

He gave me a look, then continued what he was doing.

Due to recent injuries, I'd had to take at least two weeks off from work, and it was only day two. The stitches in my side reminded me that Theo actually did have to keep helping me stretch for things for a little while. Pulling them was just asking for pain, and possibly to bust one.

The wyvern had gotten me really good, as the wound stretched from my abdomen, curved slightly over my hip bone and into my back. Doctor Deaton had closed it up with one hundred and five stitches exactly. If he hadn't been there, who would have known if I'd have made it to the hospital?

The bandage over my stitches crinkled as I reached for the glass Theo had set on the bar, and poured cold water from the fridge into it. "Want anything besides water?" I asked Theo as he pushed a second glass toward me. He shook his head, and I filled the glass for him as well.

Sucking in a breath, I eased myself onto a stool in front of the bar, and my side burned. I reached for my pain pills and opened the cap. Theo watched as I swallowed them, and I smiled at him.

"Alright, so I'm a baby, don't judge." I teased again, smiling. "Taking pain pills doesn't make you a baby. I wish you could heal like me." "Hell, me too. Certainly make it easier to get around."

Theo walked around with his glass and sat beside me, careful not to accidently bump me. Another burning sensation seared through my side, and I lifted my shirt to check the bandage, and much to my dismay, there was a line of blood in the shape of my gash.

"Damn," I muttered.

"Need help?" Theo asked, standing again. "No, you just sat down, it can wait. Plus, I don't want you to have to see it, I know it's ugly." "I've had so much worse, and I'm honestly insulted that you think I'd be such a wuss." He said, then offered me his hand.

I took it, then stood with his steady help, wincing as the skin pulled. We both headed to my bathroom, where I gathered fresh bandages, medical tape and peroxide. "I hate this part," I groaned, peeling back a corner of the tape and slowly removing it from my sore skin.

"It will be easier if you just take your shirt off," Theo said matter-of-factly. "You sure that isn't just for your pleasure?" I asked, snickering. He shook his head, then bent down, continuing the process so I could hold up my shirt and not have to stretch to get it off my back.

At last, I felt the last of the tape come off, and I sighed, turning to take a look at the damage in the big vanity mirror.

Blood was smeared all around it, and the wound was red and angry looking. The little black threads perfectly held together my raw skin. Well, at least it would be a scar that I wouldn't forget.

"Upset?" Theo asked, coming to stand behind me, glaring at the gash in the mirror as well. "No, but even if I was, there would be nothing I could do anyway, so it would be pointless."

I met Theo's eyes in the mirror, and felt a small smile come to my lips. "If I had just gotten there quicker…" He said, "This might not have happened."

"You can't blame yourself. You saved me, Theo. That's twice now."

I saw his eyes turn gold for a second before he turned away, his jaw taut with tension. "Hey," I said, and waited for his eyes to join mine once more, "you don't think you're a good guy, and maybe you're right, but we all do bad things. Regardless of the things that haunt you, you're still the man that saved a girl who should mean nothing to you."

"They only haunt me because of you. Before it mattered what you thought, I didn't care. Now comes the consequence part. And don't say you don't matter."

"There's only one person in this world that I could never forgive, and that man is not you, Theo. You've annoyed, scared, angered and threatened me when you thought I was danger. This man orphaned me, stole my ability to find security, and made living life hell. You're not even close in the race."

Theo shook his head, and gently placed his hands on my shoulders, turning me to look at him, and I could see what looked like regret in his eyes. I didn't want him to wallow in this, because truly it wasn't his fault. A sharp pain reminded me that air wasn't really good for my wound right now, and I sucked in a breath.

"Can you help me please, and then we'll talk if you want, okay?" I said, turning to get the spray bottle of peroxide. Theo bent back down on the floor, and took the bottle I handed him.

"You have to hold your shirt," He reminded me, and I bit my lip. "I…gripping the sink helps with the burn, as odd as that is…" Theo nodded, and I closed my eyes for a second before I began slowly pulling the shirt over my head.

Cold air rushed over my bare back and shoulders, giving me goosebumps, and I placed the shirt on the closed toilet lid. "Not a word," I said to him, smiling as I blushed. Of course today of all days, I had chosen to wear my black and red plaid bra.

"I actually quite like it," He said seriously, and had I been able, I would have kicked him in the stomach. I scoffed, then held my breath and squeezed the top around the sink as he sprayed the peroxide over the cut. Even the normally ticklish bubbles hurt like hell.

After a few minutes, Theo took a clean rag and gently dabbed the wound, cleaning away the excess blood and bubbles. He placed a fresh bandage over it, and I held it in place while he taped it down.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "No problem," he said.

He turned me gently as I reached for my shirt. I felt awkward, as I hadn't been able to replace my shirt yet, and he was kneeling still. "What're you…?" I asked, and he answered by pressing a whisper of a kiss just above the bandage.

Once he pulled back from that one, he pressed another to the left of the bandage, just below my navel. He did the same to the opposite side on my back, then a last soft kiss below the bandage.

"Better?" He asked softly, looking up at me.

Moved and enchanted by the touch of his lips, I nodded and smiled at him.

He gave me a rueful smile and reached for my shirt. He stood and closed the distance between us almost completely, enough to where I could feel the cloth of his shirt on my bare stomach, and helped bring the shirt over my head.

Once I was clothed again, he offered me his arm to grip, which I took, and he walked me to the couch.

"So," he said as he sat on the floor in front of me, "are _all_ of your bras so exotic?" "Theo, if I could hit you right now without hurting myself, it would be with this lamp," I said, laughing. He smiled finally, and leaned forward, resting his chin on my knees, and I pushed my fingers through his hair.

"No, not all of them," I said to him, watching the mischief light up his eyes.

"Theo, how did you cross the mountain ash?" I asked out of the blue, and I could see that I had taken him off guard.

He seemed to close off a little, but answered anyway. "I'm supernatural because I was an experiment. I wasn't created or born like others."

"So, that means you can bend the rules a little?" I asked, smiling, "Why am I not surprised?"

He grimaced. "I did terrible things to become what I am. Things that still cause me grief." "If you killed someone, honestly, that doesn't surprise me. According to things you and Liam have both told me, you were good at what you did."

"I did kill someone…all for DNA. I needed a second set to become a genetic chimera."

I felt my chest tighten a little with worry, but pushed it away. This was the past, what had been done was done, and he was not that exact same Theo. If there was a future for us, I couldn't be scared of him every time I learned of another person he'd killed.

"How old were you? Fifteen, sixteen?" I asked, continuing to brush his hair with my fingers. I felt his throat move with a gulp against my knees. His eyes met mine, and I stroked his left eyebrow with my thumb.

"…I became a monster pretty early in life." He replied. "So…before teen years?" I asked, keeping my touch steady and tender. "Yeah." He said.

"It's okay," I said, "I'm curious though…how many people total have you killed?"

"Three, though one I killed twice." Confused, I asked, "How is that possible?"

"His name was Josh. When he first became a chimera, he attacked one of my allies, before he was an ally, and I killed him. Later, I brought him back from dead, and he became one of my betas. Then I killed him to take his power."

I nodded, trying to not feel sick. The thought of death had made me feel ill since my parents, but I wanted to try and show Theo that I could see him past that.

"The things you must think of me." He mused aloud, giving another remorseful smile. "Ever since my parents, I've had a hard time dealing with killers and death. It's not you, and if I'm honest, I expected a higher number. My stalker has killed at least 15, undoubtedly more."

"Mine will be four if he comes here. Hope you can live with that." "If I thought I could do it, I would myself."

Theo's phone went off suddenly, making me jump, and he plucked it from his jeans pocket. "Liam?" I asked.

"Yeah. Still nothing on the wyvern. It can't be made to change back, no matter what they do." "We'll figure it out," I said.

"At least it's trapped." "Yep, and Doc Deaton is quickly trying to find a way to stop it. He said that the older druid he met with had some interesting things to say, including that he didn't know of a way to save it."

"Honestly, I could care less about saving it. It's killed twelve people since being here, so it has no intention of stopping what it's doing."

I chuckled, and ruffled his hair, "Down boy." He growled at me, but I hinted the playfulness of it.

Just as I was thinking of pulling him forward to kiss those perfect lips, my phone went off loudly on the table beside me. "Guess everyone wants to talk today." I chuckled, and Theo laid back on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

I picked up my phone, and confusion struck me, which made Theo look at me questioningly. "It's Melissa," I said, and he sat back up, "She's asked me to come in tomorrow. She knows I'm hurt, but I think I can manage, and if she thinks I can, then I should be there." "No," Theo said, "you're in no condition to stand on your feet, bend over and all that. You need to rest."

"I really have this feeling like I should go. Maybe she just wants to chat with me about something."

 ****I hope you guys are still enjoying this story! I am still having a blast writing it and knowing you guys take time out of your busy schedules to read my updates means so much! Thank you guys!****


	26. Chapter 26: Gold

Theo's arms tightened around me as I began to stir from my slumber.

"Theo…?" I whispered almost inaudibly, but didn't receive an answer, which told me that he was still asleep. I couldn't help the rush of happiness and…

And…what?

…love?

My heart jumped at the idea that I could be _in love_ with Theo. True, I had known for a while that I really liked him, but had it graduated to the big L word?

Nervous suddenly, I cuddled closer into the bed, and once again felt Theo's arms contract. I just did keep a yelp from letting loose as he put a little too much pressure to my wounded side. I needed to stop moving for now.

Glancing at the clock on my side table, I was curious to know why I had awaken so early. It wasn't even seven yet. Then I remembered Melissa's text messages from yesterday. If I was going to be there on time, I'd need to wake Theo up to get him to at least let me go.

Wincing with the pain, I got a little leverage on my elbow and turned gently, pressing my hand to Theo's cheek softly. After a few seconds, he began to wake up, and without opening his eyes, he placed his nose against my palm and pressed a kiss to my wrist. "Theo," I said gently, stroking his brow, "I need to get cleaned up and be ready to go to the hospital. You can still sleep but I need you to let me go."

He sighed heavily and sleepily before finally opening his eyes. I stroked the bone just below his left eye and gave a small smile. His look lead down to my side, and he unraveled me from his embrace to sit up. "How's your side this morning?" He asked groggily.

"Sore still, but that's to be expected. You don't have to get up, I just needed to be let go," I chuckled, reaching over and brushing my fingers across the back of his hand. "I'm already up." He stated.

Without saying anything else, he reached over and lifted my shirt to expose the bandage. "Any blood?" I asked. "A little. Need help changing it?" "Just getting it off. Then I'm going to shower. Once I am decent again, I'll need your help redressing it."

"Want me to shower with you?" He flirted, giving me a devilish smile. "If we were married," I said jokingly, laughing and softly whacking his arm before sitting up.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

My heart thudded tightly in my chest. Had she just said 'married'?

The whole idea, the thought, was enough to make bile rise in the back of my throat. We had been sleeping in the same bed together for two weeks, which she had asked for most of the time, but the idea of me seeing her naked had to be saved for after _that_?

I wanted to shudder at the thought, but left it alone as she stood slowly and went to walk to the bathroom. It wasn't the idea of marrying _her_ , it was just the marriage thing. Together, forever, promising to only love each other.

What would happen if she suddenly woke up one day and decided it wasn't what she wanted? With what we had now, we could be happy, and if she up and left, there wouldn't be any legal holds.

I was quite sure about what I felt for her, and knew I wouldn't ever find anyone else, but with my past, her own, and my being a supernatural creature, how long would it be before she made up her mind that she didn't want this life anymore?

Hearing her exclaim in pain broke my train of thought, and I stood and went to her. She had her teeth gritted, and I could practically feel the heat coming off of her angry skin. We'd had her checked, and everything was fine, with no signs of festering or infection, but I could tell that it still hurt her pretty badly.

I bent down to help her take the tape off, but pressed a kiss to her side, like I had yesterday. This time, I paused, feeling her pain begin to leach into my face. I heard her sigh gently, and met her eyes as I pulled back.

"Thank you, Theo." She said softly. I could hear from the tone of her voice and tell from the slight darkness around her eyes just how exhausted she was. Pain did that to people, and it made me wish more than ever that I could change her. It also made me want to crown Melissa for making her get up early and come to the hospital.

"Be careful not the get your stitches too wet. You won't like the result." I instructed, peeling the last of the surgical tape away. "I know," she replied with a light, tired smile, "CNA, remember?"

I nodded, then stood and walked out of the door, closing it behind me as I heard the water start.

Sitting down on the couch, I listened out for her to make sure she didn't slip, and let my thoughts soar again.

 _ **~Cassia POV~**_

"I can drive, Theo." I argued with him as he stared at me.

"If you say so, but if your stitches start to bleed, I'm going to say I told you so." He said, grinning and handing me the keys. I rolled my eyes and smiled, and off to the hospital we went.

"I'll wait here, you just scream if you need me." Theo said as he helped me out of the car and steadied me. "Wow, I'm surprised you think I'm old enough to do that on my own," I jabbed, trying not to smile. "Shut up," he said, placing a hand lightly over my hip, "don't act like you haven't loved every second."

His eyes took on a lusty look and I gently leaned into his chest. He took my face in his hands and pressed a quick, but lingering, kiss to my mouth, making my heart stutter. "Now, go see what Melissa wants, and be careful." He said, then walked around to the passenger side of the car and climbed back in.

I walked slowly and steadily to the door, trying not to pull my stitches any more than I already was.

Melissa looked anxious as she sat behind the front desk, her brown eyes tired, but alert. She looked like she was ready to run at the drop of a hat.

"Melissa," I greeted, and she stood, motioning me to come join her in a secluded room. I followed as fast as I could manage and she closed the door gently behind me.

"I'm sorry I had to ask you to come in, but this isn't something I could discuss over the phone, if you know what I mean." "I do. What's going on?"

"Would you happen to know anything about what this creature might be…allergic…to?" "No, we've been striving to figure that out. I haven't found any weaknesses, though wolfsbane seems to at least keep it within its boundaries." "And I thought about that. Chris said that the bullets he shot into it just reflected off of its skin. Obviously wolfsbane isn't the answer."

"A worrisome thought." I agreed. "But…what if the creature were responsive to an element?" "What do you mean?"

"Okay, myths and legends believe that if you use silver against a werewolf, you can kill it. Silver is its weakness. According to them, it will not only stop a wolf in its tracks, there is no cure to heal it. If they can shapeshift, and you wound them, it will reveal their true identity."

"Are you saying we should use silver against the wyvern?" "It's certainly worth a try, but…" "But?" I encouraged her to go on.

"What if it were a different element?"

I began to think. "I wouldn't think it was a gas, at least not a common one, like hydrogen."

"How about gold?" She asked.

"Gold? I really hope not, because that's very hard to come by out of the blue."

Melissa suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Do you know for sure that it's gold?" I asked in a small voice.

"I think I do." She said. "How? I searched pages for weeks in books and on websites and nothing said anything about gold."

"Well…it showed up in a patient's blood test. I just didn't think anything about it at the time, and I kept forgetting to mention it to you."

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, I heard what sounded like Liam hollering coming from the entrance. I looked back to Melissa, and we opened the door, looking for him.

He spotted us immediately and ran for the door, closing it after he entered and began talking too fast for us to comprehend through his panting. "Liam, Liam," Melissa said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Slow down! Now, what's going on?"

"I don't know how, it's not supposed to be possible, but it escaped!"

My insides felt as though they were liquefying. It had escaped? How?!

"Liam, how could this thing have escaped? It couldn't break the barrier, could it?" "Not from what we could tell! Nothing is supposed to be able to get through that barrier."

"How about…determination?" Melissa asked quietly. "What?" I asked, and watched Liam's eyes go big. "Determination." Liam said, his face taking on a startled yet understanding realization, "What if it's so desperate to kill something or someone that it freed itself? It has to be wanting…vengeance…but from who?"

"Determination is what made Scott a True Alpha. When he made up his mind to save his boss, he was absolutely going to make it across that barrier, and he did." Melissa said, a touch of pride lighting up the features of her face before returning back to her worried and concentrated look. "If this creature is seeking revenge, it could make it even more powerful that we gave it credit for."

"And that means we have got to stay on its heels. I'll message you both later. For now, stay close and if you see it…" Liam's eyes fell to my injured side. "We'll stay out of the way." I said, giving him a light smile. "I hate to do this, but I need Theo," Liam said. "He's not my property, Liam, please, go ahead, we'll be safe here."

He nodded, then ran back out the door. I went to follow, but Melissa pulled me back and spoke in a hushed tone again. "That thing could show up here. Now, I don't know the first thing about who it might to kill, but I do know that we've got to find a way to stop it. Since we're not of use to them via strength, we need to be useful as the brains. Let's go talk to Chris." She said, beginning to open the door.

"Wait," I said, tugging gently on her arm, and she stopped, "who was the patient with the gold in their bloodstream?" "Cassia, we really don't have to worry about that right at this minute." She said, reaching for the handle again.

"But what if calling it out by its true name changes it back?" I asked. Melissa stopped, then sighed.

"The patient," she said slowly, "was Zinnia Rubek."

 ****I know, it's a little short this time, but things will pick up more very soon! I apologize for the slower updates, I have been very busy and unable to get to a computer! Thank you all for reading!****


	27. Chapter 27: Too Close

"Chris?" Melissa asked quietly as she approached the side of his bed.

Like me, he had also been wounded by the wyvern in our attempt to capture the thing, but his injuries had required surgery. The stained gauze bandage in the middle of his torso told of his battle, and I empathized with him of the pain.

"Melissa," he said groggily, smiling at her through his sleepiness. "I know you're tired, sweetie, but we need to talk about how to stop this thing, and I think I have an idea."

"It's okay," he said, grunting as he sat up, "I will help where I can. Cassia, how are you doing?" "Well, I understand your pain, but at least I can walk around. How are _you_ doing?" He smiled despite it all.

"I'm alright. I've had worse. Now," he turned, taking Melissa's hand, "what is your prediction?"

"Gold."

Chris looked at her with a puzzled expression, but I could see the wheels beginning to turn in his head. "Of course…" He murmured.

"What-"

A shrill scream erupted from outside the door, and suddenly, lots of people began running past the door. Seconds later, the roar of the wyvern echoed down the hallways, a terrifying noise that immediately made the pain spike in my side in remembrance.

I turned to Melissa and Chris. "…It's here." I whispered.

Chris grunted again and reached between the frame and mattress of the hospital bed, revealing a handgun. "You know as well as I do that if that thing comes in here, we can't stop it." I said to him, watching another woman rush by with a panicked expression on her face.

"Got any wolfsbane tucked away?" I asked. "Unfortunately, no. My supply is stashed in the morgue." Melissa said.

I opened my mouth to speak again when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted movement and ducked away from the tall window in the door. I listened closely, then took my phone out. I quickly put it on silent, then sent a quick text to Theo.

 _It's here_

Melissa squatted down beside the bed to hide herself and I pushed myself in the corner of the room. Chris took a deep breath and acted like he was sleeping, which only made me guess that the creature was looking in or was about to. I hoped it didn't have exceptional hearing like the pack did, because my heart was flying at a million miles an hour.

It was so silent that the ringing in my ears sounded like blaring horns. I didn't even breathe.

But we all jumped to when the creature began pounding on the door. "No," I said, and jumped back in front of the door, attempting to do my best to hold it back. "Guys, quickly, if you can, get out the window!" "There's no damn way we're leaving you behind to save our skins!" Chris yelled, sitting up with much pain and pulling the IV from his arm.

"And I'm not letting three of us die if two can get away, go!" I yelled back, my feet sliding when the creature punched the door again. I could feel the strong wood giving way, and before long, my body would too.

Chris pointed the gun directly at the creature through the window, and it snarled in response. It pounded the door once again, this time creating a hole big enough for its arm. Just as I saw its long claws begin to poke through it, a familiar roar sounded down the hallway, a warning not to reach any farther.

Liam.

Melissa blew a sigh, "The boys and Cora are here." The creature responded in anger, then ran off toward them. We took a second to recoup, and only then did the pain remind both Chris and me of what had just happened. My stitches were screaming, and as I hesitantly lifted my shirt to check on them, I could see damage had been dealt due to the bright red, fresh blood that discolored the bandage. Chris had also covered his wound with his hand, grimacing in discomfort.

"Cass, you may have busted stitches." Melissa spoke. "It doesn't matter right now," I said, wincing as I heard a body collide with one of the walls outside, then growling.

I heard Cora roar at the creature, and was glad that they had joined Liam. "Alright," I said to Melissa, "we need to go see if there's anyone in the near vicinity that we can save." "That sounds like suicide right now." "We have to try. If there is anyone else in that hallway, they could-"

The sound of Corey screaming in pain made my heart stop, and all at once, the battle ended. Without thinking, I opened the broken door and ran outside, finding the pack surrounding him.

The creature was nowhere in sight, which meant it had probably escaped. "Corey!" Mason screamed, falling down onto the floor beside him. With the rest of the pack's bodies around him, I couldn't see what damage had been dealt, but I knew it wasn't good, because I heard Mason sobbing.

"God help us," I murmured as I came closer. Corey was holding his thigh, agony washing over his face. Mason held him upright, his forehead pressed against Corey's temple.

"What happened?" Melissa called from behind me, and Theo realized then that I was there, and hurried over, wrapping an arm protectively around me.

"The…claws…" Corey struggled. "No," I said, tears forming in my eyes.

Mason lifted Corey's shirt, and I gasped. Ropey, green veins were already climbing their way up his stomach, with no signs of slowing down. "No!" I said again, louder this time, and Theo kept a hold on me when I tried to move closer.

"Mason," Corey said. "I'm here," Mason said, holding him closer. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I buried my face into Theo's chest.

The veins were now crawling up his chest, and I could hear from his struggled breathing that it was getting harder to do so.

"Give me room!" Melissa came barreling from one of the side rooms, and pushed through us. She had a huge syringe, filled with an odd colored mass inside. "The nine herbs." Liam whispered. "Will it work?" Mason asked, as Corey begin to lose consciousness in his arms.

"I don't know, but it's healed him before, and it's worth a try!" She said, pulling the cap from the top and plunging it into his body. She forced the somewhat solid goop inside into his body and removed the needle.

Corey made no move. "Come on," Melissa said, more to herself and Corey than anyone else.

Suddenly, Corey sat up, yelling in pain, but we watched as the green veins began to disappear, slithering back toward the original wound, which then healed completely, as though it had never been there.

"Corey!" Mason said, pulling him into a strong embrace, which Corey returned.

"Melissa," I said, staring at her, and she exhaled deeply in relief, turning to me, "that was amazing."

She smiled, then was pulled into a group hug with the boys.

Theo turned back to face me again, putting gentle fingers under my chin. "Are you okay?" He asked, shifting my head gently to assess my neck and face. "I busted a few stitches when I tried to fight the creature coming in through the door, but all in all, I'm okay. Are you alright?" I said.

"Better now." He said, his face not changing expression, but he leaned his forehead against mine. I gave him a small smile and he sighed.

"Get a room," I heard Liam say under his breath. I heard and felt the growl in Theo's chest, and I bit my lip to stop the giggle that appeared in my throat. "He's just being annoying," I said gently to Theo, softly guiding his face back to mine. "I know. It's the only thing he's good at." He growled, and Liam scoffed. "I saved your ass back in those woods and you know it."

Theo went to reply back, but was interrupted by Chris's question as he came to stand by us. "So, where did the creature go?"

"It ran out the door. We were so concerned with Corey that we let it get away. We need to go hunt for it now." Liam said.

"There's only one way you can stop it. But first, you need to find out who it's looking for." Chris said. "How do you know it's looking for someone?" Cora asked him.

Chris responded by holding up a picture of a man and woman in black and white. They looked fierce, angry, and like they would take on anything. They had dark hair and eyes. "Who are they?" Liam asked.

"The Dorados."

 ****I hope you're all liking this, because I am loving writing it! Thank you all for your reads, follows, favorites and reviews, because they mean so much! I hope you all have a great day!****


	28. Chapter 28: One Name

"What part do they play in any of this?"

Mason asked the question that we were all wondering. Even Melissa looked a tad skeptical as to why he'd introduced the picture.

Chris slowly pulled his jacket on, and spoke, "They aren't a strong family line like they used to be. Once upon a time, our families knew each other very well. They worked with us to protect the towns we thrived in. But we were under the impression that, like us, they only helped with hunting the known."

"So, they betrayed your trust?" Mason asked. "No, but they hid things. When I was a young man, about sixteen or so, my father told me stories of the dreaded creature, but they didn't call it a 'wyvern'. No Argent had ever seen this creature, so it wasn't recorded. I must wonder if this family is the reason why."

"Why would they matter? If they were just a family of hunters like yourself, what's to suspect?" Melissa questioned him with worried eyes. "If your suspicions are right, Melissa…we're going to need to find this family line, and especially before the wyvern does."

And it clicked in my head. "They are the ones that it's searching for. We talked about it seeking revenge! If they were hunters…" I let the idea sink into everyone else's head.

"We must find them, and that is what is going to take a while, but I might could get a lead from the Calaveras. The Dorados are a small, Spanish family. They believed that having fewer kids could secure their line, and not leave so many to protect. I don't even know if the line is still alive. All we can do is hope."

"Let's go now. If they have anything we can use to take the wyvern down, we need to find out." Liam spoke. Chris sighed to himself.

"What is it?" Melissa asked him, going to his side. "I can't believe I didn't remember any of this earlier. It might not have gotten so many people killed." "How could you have? Gerard told you those stories years ago, and they were just that: stories. You had no evidence, no recorded words, nothing. So don't blame yourself."

"Chris," I said, turning in Theo's arm to look at the man, "you said they didn't call the creature a wyvern. What did they call it?" "I heard only one term, used by my father in a passing sentence: Monstruo del veneno."

"Venom monster." Melissa said. "Definitely suits." Theo said under his breath.

"Let's get going. Mexico isn't getting any closer with us standing here." Cora said, walking through the door. I went to walk after her, but Theo's hand in mine pulled me back. "Argent, Melissa," Theo said to them, "Cassia and I will catch up. I'm going to take her to Doctor Deaton first and get her stitches checked. Let the others know."

He didn't wait for their answer, but walked me to the car. "I suppose it's a good idea," I admitted to him, "we should also let the doctor know about what we've discovered." Theo nodded, then helped me into the car.

Once we arrived, we saw the doctor turning his open sign to closed. I guessed he had known or felt we'd be coming by.

Theo once more helped me out and to the door. "Deaton?" Theo called, and he motioned for us to join him in the OR.

"I had this feeling," the doctor said, "like I should watch out for you." "You'd be right. Corey almost died, but Melissa thought fast enough to save him. Maybe you should-" "Have the nine sacred herbs put away in stock? I already do. When I left you, my goal was to search for wyvern history and collect more of the herbs."

"Argent may have given us more to go on as well," I stated, "he said something about a family called Dorado."

"I've heard the name before, but it wasn't well known. Their line is probably about as old, or older than, the Argent line. Their lines came from France and Spain."

"Argent and the pack are headed to Mexico to talk to a group called the…Calaveras?" I said.

The doctor went silent, but I could see the wheels in his head turning. He didn't say anything, even as he checked my side, removed two stitches and replaced them. It wasn't until he was bandaging the wound again.

"Tell me," he spoke softly, "do you know what 'dorado' means in Spanish?" "No," I answered, looking to Theo. "Dorado," he paused to tape down the gauze, "means 'gold'."

I gaped, once more looking to Theo. "Melissa must have been closer to her guess than she thought." "What do you mean, Cass?" Theo asked.

"Melissa guessed it. She suggested that gold might be its weakness." I said. "And if 'argent' means 'silver', and they hunt werewolves…" Theo said.

"Monstruo del veneno." Doctor Deaton said with a perfect accent. "You know of the history?" I asked. "No," he said, "but when I was being mentored by the oldest druid known, he spoke of the vanishing venom monster. It was elusive, never around long enough to be believed, but always enough for someone to spot and spread rumors of."

I stared at him, processing the weight of the words. "This thing has a vendetta going on." Theo said, "If it came here, does that mean there are Dorados here?"

"Perhaps," The doctor said, "it could also mean that the wyvern is simply lost. Maybe it found a trail, then lost it. Without you even knowing, the Dorados may have even lead it here themselves. If they knew Argents were in the area, they might be trying to find them." "There's only one. The Argent line ends with Chris." Theo responded.

"If the families haven't fought together in decades, perhaps centuries, they would not know that the Argents have been lost."

"That means we have to go, now." I said, grabbing Theo's arm, "We'll be back soon. Thank you Doctor."

"Hurry back. And be careful, the creature may follow you."

Once out to the car, Theo opened the passenger side door for me and then stomped on the accelerator before he'd even gotten his door shut good. "Here," he said, handing me his phone, "see what you can find on Dorado history."

"Chris messaged you. He says 'One hour from the Calaveras' hideout'." Theo said nothing, and pressed harder on the gas pedal. "Easy," I said, "do you want the sheriff to nail us?" Theo gave me a wicked smile, and revved harder.

"What is with you, you're being like, extra asshole." I laughed. "It's what I'm best at sweetheart." He replied.

After a few minutes, I sighed. "I can't find anything specific about them, and definitely no names. Only a little story about a family of four who protected a town in Spain that no longer exists." "It's something at least," He said, taking his phone back from me.

"You're off," I said after a few more moments of silence. "What do you mean?" He asked, but I could see that I had guessed right when I watched a guarded look come over his face.

"Theo," I said, "did I do something?" "Don't be stupid, of course you didn't." He semi-growled, which told me that I had in fact done something to upset him.

"Please, tell me what I did." I said, not wanting stress to be between us. His fingers gripped the steering wheel, his eyes tightening. But he wasn't just angry, he looked…uncomfortable. I thought back throughout the day, wondering what I could have said at any point.

Theo startled me by blowing a sigh. "Did you mean what you said this morning?" He asked suddenly. "What did I say?" I asked. "Marriage." Is all he said, and the standard Theo look came back.

Blushing, I did recall my words earlier this morning, when he had joked about getting in the shower with me. "I mean…" I couldn't figure out how to start this explanation.

Theo looked at me expectantly before returning his eyes to the road. A million words ran through my head. "Does it really matter?" I settled with finally after a few tense seconds.

"I want to know what you meant. Was it a joke? Was there a serious undertone? Why did you say it?" "Why are you so upset about it, Theo? I meant it as harmless. We haven't even…"

We had not even exchanged 'I love yous'. I didn't even know if we ever would. Right now, there was simply passion and friendship. It made me scared to admit to _myself_ that the idea of marrying Theo didn't turn me off, and that what I felt for him may be more than a crush, but I hadn't said a word to him about it, and hopefully my emotions hadn't betrayed me either.

He shifted in his seat, looking both curious and suspicious. Finally, I wanted answers too. "Theo, tell me why the idea bothers you. Is it because I'm not worthy, because you only want one thing? You think I'll lead you on? Cheat? Because one, none of that is me and two, I never wanted you to risk being hurt by me or Damian, anyway."

Theo stomped hard on the brakes and parked on the shoulder of the road. He faced me then, a ferocious glare on his youthful, handsome face. "Let's get one thing straight: I. Am. Not. Scared. Of. Your stalker. If he comes here, I'm going to kick his ass and kill him. Two: I'm not afraid of anything you could do to me, whatsoever. I'm bothered by it because I don't want to get latched onto something that later will cause a huge amount of legal trouble and be a giant pain in my ass."

"That's all you think marriage is? A huge amount of legal trouble and a pain in the ass?" "Pretty much," he growled. "What if I told you that there's more to it. Companionship, actual love, and more." "I'd say you were looking for a fairytale, and those don't exist." "Neither do supernatural creatures…and yet, here you are."

"I'm assuming you look back at your parent's marriage. But not everything that they had was perfect, perfection was just the only part you saw." He said. "No, my parents' marriage wasn't perfect, at all." I said, thinking back to all the nights my mother sat up crying in the den as Damian had hurt her once again. The holes in the garage walls that Dad had punched, taking his anger out on the inanimate object rather than his son. The fights that they had over where he should go for help, over the money stretched thin because of Damian's therapy bills.

Bitter tears pooled in my eyes as I remembered my father brushing off my comments about him skipping supper, when in reality he was foregoing eating to make sure we had enough. I recalled another time, finding my father in his recliner upstairs, deep into a bottle of vodka, and how my mother's face had been flush with anger.

Theo interrupted my thoughts by placing a hand on my thigh. "I'm sorry. Just some bad memories." I said, "There were bad times, but my parents were for each other until the end. Yeah, they got angry, but there wasn't one time that they didn't have the other's back. That is what marriage is."

"When you finally wake up and ditch all of this, I don't want it to be a legal matter." He said, sounding bitter, angry and a little hurt.

"That's your opinion of me? That when the going gets tough, I just leave?" I asked, putting my hand on top of his. "Cass, I'm dangerous. And what we do, is dangerous." "I've been in a precarious position almost all my life, you think a few mythical creatures are going to scare me off?"

"All your life?" He asked. "Uh, well, almost seven years," I covered. I wasn't quite ready to admit that Damian was my brother.

Theo opened his mouth to respond, but his phone went off, and I took it for him. "It's Liam. They found the Calaveras. And they gave Chris one name: Ambrosio Dorado."

 ****Thank you all for reading! I know updates have been slower, and I apologize! I'm going to do my best to be a little faster! Hope you all have a good day!****


	29. Chapter 29: Meeting In The Dust

Theo helped me from the car, keeping a steady hold on my hand.

Chris and the pack stood in the middle of nowhere, just a sea of sand, with some mountains in the horizon. Above us was a clear, deep blue sky filled twinkling stars and a silver crescent moon. It almost took my breath away, the beauty of it all.

Chris broke the silence with his strong voice, "Ambrosio Dorado has had his whereabouts hidden, but through the Calaveras pulling a few strings in my favor, a couple of the Dorado men have agreed to meet with us here. You all let me do the talking. They will not be like me, and they may be tempted to shoot any of you."

"Then why the hell are we here and not watching from afar?" Theo asked. "Because they need to know that you're just as serious about stopping this creature as I am." "Fine, but the first gun that gets pointed at me is going straight up their ass."

It felt like forever, but eventually, in the distance, we saw a vehicle approaching. As fast as they were going, it didn't take them long to reach us, and they parked right between our cars.

From the drivers' seat, out stepped a man with beautiful russet colored skin and snow white hair. It was obvious that he was an older man, but part of me wondered if he really looked his age. I had no doubts that this man could still kill with ease. From the passenger side stepped a younger man, no more than his early forties, who shared the skin color, but his hair was raven black, almost blue in the dim light of the desert sun.

Both of them began looking the pack up and down, singling out which were supernatural and those of us who were human. When their gazes fell upon me, I nodded to them once.

After a moment, they finally stopped in front of Chris, who lifted his chin slightly in aknowledgement.

"Argent." The older man said, a heavy accent thickening his gruff voice. "Dorado." Chris answered. "What has brought you here to Mexico, to seek out a family that has not wished to be sought?"

"We have a problem," Chris said, motioning to all of us with his arm, "one I believe only your family could help with. You may all also be in danger."

"Danger is not uncommon, desconocido. We can handle anything." The younger man said, and the older man, I assumed to be his father, held a hand up to him. "Do not be prideful, mijo, let the man speak. You have peaked my curiousity, Senor, but that does not mean we can trust you easily."

"Our families fought together at one time. Do you recall any old stories?" Chris asked. "That was centuries ago, fellow cazador. Last I heard, your family was not faring so well."

Chris's face went tight, his shoulders rigid. "What you heard may be true," he said emotionlessly, "but regardless, our problem is beacause of your ascendants. Surely, you have family that you wish to protect." "Is that a threat?" The younger man asked, anger flashing in his eyes.

"It's a warning," Liam spoke from behind him. The man turned, immediately holding a gun to Liam. "No!" I said without thinking. The man's eyes swerved back to me, and slowly, he lowered the gun.

"Please," I said, stepping out of Theo's arm, "we don't have a lot of time. There is a monster in our hometown, and it's killing people. We've suspected that it can be taken down with gold, would you know anything about that?"

"It can't be..." The older man said, turning to his son, "A creature that needs gold to be put down... We haven't heard of such a monster in hundreds of years."

"But you've heard of them." Theo said, stepping forward himself. "It was our family's duty to protect the humans from such. We wiped them out ages ago, there isn't a possibility of them returning."

"And yet they have. It is seeking vengenace, and in its wake, it's leaving behind bodies, hurting our people." Cora said, surprising me by yanking my shirt up to reveal my bandaged side, "So, we want answers. Now."

Both of the mens' eyes glued to my side, and slowly the approached me. "How is it, chica, that you have survived the venom of the monster?" The older man asked. "The tail," I said, putting a hand to my side, "it caught me. Corey," I continued, pointing over to him, "has survived the venom."

Both men slowly looked up to Corey and surveyed him. Then they turned to face Chris.

"If this species really has come back to life, we will need more information ourselves. Come, we will take you to our place."

Without waiting for us to answer, they climbed back in the car and started the engine. We all hurried to ours as well, and then followed them out of the dry, sandy area. Within minutes, a little town began to appear, with homely little buildings scattered over dust and concrete.

Once outside of the city's boundaries, they turned and after a couple of miles, there came a small group of houses. "It's like these guys are a cult." Theo said, disgust coloring his words. "They are a hidden family." I responded, "That means that they don't want to be found. Who knows how long they have lived here."

"Still, I get this vibe like we won't all make it out alive." Theo joked. I smiled and playfully swatted his arm.

"Come, to the cellar. This is where we strategize when the time comes." Chris walked almost on the guy's heels. "Never got your name," Chris said matter-of-factly, making the older man chuckle. "Of course, where are my manners? Ambrosio Dorado, and this is my son Castanon. You may see my grandchildren about, perhaps my daughters."

"From what my father told me before, you chose to stay small. How have you fared with that?" Chris asked as we all reached the bottom floor.

"I have three children. They gave me four grandsons total. We still believe in remaining small." Ambrosio answered. A resonating crash came from the back of the dark bunker, and Ambrosio sighed. "Domingo! Sal de ahi!"

Within seconds, a young teen boy appeared, giving his grandfather a sheepish smile. "Sorry, abuelo." He said, wringing his hands. "Domingo! What have I said about going in that room?! It's dangerous!" Castanon came from the stairs to stand in front of the boy.

"I'm curious, papa. I'm sorry."

Castanon looked as though he wished to say something more, but refrained, giving the boy a slight smile and messing up his hair. "Go play with your brother and cousins, mijo. We have business to attend to."

The boy headed toward the stairs before spotting our group and came straight to us. "Are you guys here for help? Abuelo says the people who come here seek it." The boy's eyes landed straight on me, and Cora who stood beside me.

"Yes, we are here for help." Cora said, giving the kid no second glance. "What with?" "Nothing that your father can't tell you," Theo said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me to him. "Theo," I scolded him under my breath.

With that, Domingo ran up the stairs and out into the fresh air. "He was just curious." I quoted him, smiling. "He was also studying you girls. I was a young teenager once too." I laughed and shook my head.

"Guys," Chris said, motioning for us to come join the table, "They're going to tell us the history of their family. Maybe this will explain why the wyvern in seeking revenge."

 ****I hope you like the introduction of the Dorado family! They'll be around for another chapter or more, and then it's back to Beacon Hills to fight back! Thank you all for reading, you're awesome!****


	30. Chapter 30: Never Be Alone

"My father spoke of the stories to me when I was a young boy. I could quote our ancestry before I started school." Ambrosio said, taking a long draw off of a cigarette as he sat down at the head of the big table.

His son took a seat beside him, then the rest of us scattered about the table. I did my best to hide my flaming cheeks as Theo pulled me into his lap, and avoided meeting Liam's and Cora's eyes.

Chris sat forward, clasping his hands together with a look on his face filled with anticipation. He was probably wondering if Melissa was okay. She'd had to stay behind to take care of the people injured in the attack. With the creature getting more and more vicious, he had to be asking himself what could be happening to her right now.

"Our lineage began with a man and a woman who saw dastardly things in a small Spanish-French village called Pasando Por. Of course, this place no longer exists, as the monsters wiped it off the map. When Almerique Dorado's sister, Beatrice, became prey to one of the creatures, his need for revenge drove him to create a safe world for his family."

"So your family became hunters based on similar principles to those of the Argent family." Liam said. "Yes, lobito. You might already know what it means to lose someone you care for, and how it can make you either stupid or determined." Ambrosio said, taking another draw before returning his eyes to Chris's.

"Almerique studied these creatures, naming them based on the aftermath of their attacks. When he met Isabelica Canizares, a young, brave woman with intelligence all her own of these monsters, they fell in love through teamwork."

"That's romantic and all, but we need to know how to kill these creatures!" Cora burst out. "Patience, lobita, patience." Ambrosio grumbled.

"For years, Almerique and Isabelica tracked, killed, and studied these things, When their first son, Santiago, was born, they taught him to defend himself and to watch his back, then passed the knowledge on to their second son, Alvaro. Thus, continued the hunting line."

"They tested silver, wolfsbane and anything they could get their hands on to try and kill these creatures, but nothing worked." Castanon broke in, "It wasn't until Isabelica found herself cornered alone one night after going out for fresh water in the woods. Though she believed herself to be dead, all changed when the creature went to bite at her throat, and instead got a mouthful of her solid gold necklace."

"Why was none of this passed on to the Argent family?" I asked. "Because, at the time, they did not know of any other hunting family. Marie Jean and Henri met them years later, when most of the monsters had been hunted. Santiago was a prideful man, and he hunted even when it was unneccessary. They believed Santiago and Alvaro would wipe out the creatures for good before the line moved beyond their grandchildren."

"So, if there is still one here, they obviously didn't finish what they started." Theo said.

"These things are peculiar. Sometimes, they lie dormant and wait for opportunity. They could be sneaky. It is possible that this very creature could be centuries old." "And seeking revenge on the family that took everything from it." Mason said.

Ambrosio gave Mason a small, tight smile. "All a possibility. Now, we have not hunted these creatures in decades, but we are always prepared. We will not go to fight with you, however, we will give you the weapons needed to take it down."

"So...it can't be saved?" Liam asked, his voice tight, and a distraught look on his face. "No, lobito. Alvaro's only son tried valiantly to restore one to a natural state, and he lost that battle. Alvaro's line died with him. These creatures cannot be saved."

Disappointment showed clearly on Liam's face, and my heart hurt for him. "Doing this does not make you a failure, Liam," I said, "it makes you a savior. You will be saving hundreds of people."

"Argent." Ambrosio said, turning from the shadows with a jar in his hand. Its contents shimmered and glistened, a deep yellow dust worth more than anything in the entire country of Mexico. Chris stepped forward and gently took the glass jar from him. "Melt and combine it to use as a weapon. More than likely, you will have only one shot. Make sure that it finds it's target: any vital area of the body, like the heart or brain."

"Thank you, Ambrosio," Chris said, holding his hand out to the older man. "Thank you for coming to warn my family, Argent. Now, kill that monster and take back your town."

With a nod, Chris made his way back to the cellar opening, and the pack followed, finding a crowd awaiting us at the entrance. Two women and four teenaged boys lined the doorway, no doubt curious about the conversation we'd had. But they said nothing, and watched as we got in our cars and left.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep. Theo patted my arm until I woke, and we were parked in front of the hospital. "How long was I out?" I asked. "Couple hours. You had a long day and not a lot of sleep. We're going to go relay things to Melissa, then I'm taking you home. Be right back."

I nodded, laying my head back against the window and watching him walk after the rest of the pack. We had gathered a lot of information that day and night, and been through a lot more. My side throbbed when I moved, making me remember that a few hours ago, I had busted a couple and had them redone.

I jumped when my phone went off, with an alert that I didn't want to look at. I had a news app now, and I knew it had to be Damian. _Please, don't be any closer than you already are,_ I thought.

Hoping more than I should have, I lifted the phone and read the report.

My stomach lurched at the title: _Serial Killer Found In Small Texas Town_. He had made it to yet another state line, and that left only two states. Panic settled in my chest, and I thought to my friends. Was there a need to tell them? I mean, there was no guarantee that he'd found me yet, especially since he hadn't jumped straight to Beacon Hills.

Sooner or later, I would have to tell Theo that Damian was my brother. But I felt like tellling him would show him just what kind of family I had come from, and wondered if telling him might question his want to be with me.

If it did, it might be for the better anyway.

After a few moments, I saw Theo, Liam and Cora coming back out of the door. Liam was making stiff motions with his hands, and Cora rolled her eyes. I could see that whatever was being said between the guys was annoying her, and I had to giggle.

Spotting me in the car, she walked over and I lowered my window. "What are the boys chatting about?" I snickered. "They're being their usual selves, arguing over everything." She said and I smiled. "That's what they are best at. So...do you really think this is all going to work?" I asked.

"I hope so. I'm ready to end this and go back home." "I'm going to miss you when you've left." I admitted. "Don't worry, I'll be back to visit." She said, smiling, then looked back to the guys, still making wild gestures and arguing heatedly.

"What are they talking about?" I asked her. "The creature, you, Scott. Everything basically." "Why me? I'm of no importance right now. They should be solely focused on making a weapon to defeat the creature."

Cora didn't respond, but instead a slightly worried look came over her face. I put my hand on her arm and waited until she looked at me to speak. "What's going on?"

She sighed. "I'm not bringing back up any useless talk, but...is this thing with Theo serious?"

Shocked, all thoughts left me for a few seconds. I had not expected her to question me on that, and I quickly gathered my barings. "Well...it's a little complicated, but to me, yes, things are serious as they can be right now."

"If you were hearing the things that I am right now, you would know that he's serious about it too. Liam has been hounding him day and night practically." I allowed a little of that wonderful feeling to settle in my chest for a second, and smiled to myself.

"You...you love him, don't you?" Cora asked, her eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Blushing, I ducked my head slightly. "I..." I took a deep breath, "I didn't realize it until this morning, but yes. After all the time I've been spending with him, the things we've talked about, everything, I have fallen in love with him, but he can't know that, not right now."

"And why the hell not? That's a huge thing." Cora said, her eyes drilling into mine. "Because," I whispered, looking over to him, "I don't know if he loves me back."

Cora opened her mouth to respond, but Theo came toward the car in big strides, irritation covering his face. "What was all that about?" I asked him when he was close enough. "Liam being a moron." He growled, climbing into the drivers' seat.

"How so?" I asked. "He doesn't mind his own business." I giggled, then nodded to Cora, who gave me a smile and backed away from the car.

"Theo?" I said in the darkness once we got onto the road a little ways. "Hmm?"

"You don't have to stay tonight." I said, each word becoming more painful than the previous one. "Does that mean you don't want me to stay tonight or you're saying that because you think I don't want to?" He asked, seeing right through me.

"Theo, I've spent my whole life trying not to be a burden. I think I've been the biggest in your life." "What the hell makes you say that?" He asked with an incredulous tone.

I sighed, trying to find all the words I needed. "I upset you this morning and I didn't mean to. But Theo, when it comes to where this relationship goes, that's something I want. And I won't continue to drag you farther into my life if that's not a goal somewhere in yours."

I could see that what I'd said took a toll on him, I just didn't know how or what emotion it might spark. So I quieted, and waited. If he didn't want to say anything, that was fine, but if he did, I would listen to and respect what he had to say.

Once we were almost home, he exhaled heavily and I looked to him. "Cass, there are still things we need to discuss. There's still one big issue that we haven't addressed, and I'm not sure how you will react once I tell you."

"I understand." I said.

Theo pulled into my parking spot and shut the engine off. His truck sat to our right, shiny in the moonlight. All was quiet.

"I have to do something tomorrow, before anything else. I want you to come with me." He said, looking slightly stricken.

"I'll come," I said, taking his hand. Without a word, he raised my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers. "As for tonight," he went on, "if you want me to, I'll stay. If you want your house alone, I understand that too."

"Alone is such a somber word." I said, already feeling the ache of it, "I've been alone for years, Theo. I'll never _want_ to be alone, I'll only ever be forced to be. So, if you want to stay, stay."

I took a handful of his jacket in my fingers and pulled his body to mine, feeling comforted when he wrapped his strong arms around me and held me close to him.

"As long as I'm here, you will never be alone again."

 ****Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying it and I appreciate your reads, reviews, follows and favorites so much! Have a good day!****


	31. Chapter 31: White Lilies

My phone buzzing loudly against the wooden table woke me from my deep slumber. I went to reach for it, but Theo stretched over me and grabbed it first, smiling at me as he kissed my cheek and handed it to me.

"Jerk," I said sleepily and playfully before opening the text.

 _Going to make four arrowheads and a spear, just enough to do so._

My stomach churned as I once again remembered the task at hand: killing the wyvern. It meant that one or all of us had to be close enough to kill it. Of course, it would take time for these weapons to shape up and harden enough to use. Hopefully in the meantime, the wyvern would not kill anyone else.

"What was so important that whoever it was woke us up?" Theo asked, settling his chest on top of me and wrapping his arm around my waist. "It was Chris, and he was letting me know what they decided to create from the gold dust." "Hmm," Theo mumbled, sounding not interested at all.

"Probably a good thing anyway, I need to go to work in two hours." I said, but was unable to get up from the bed with Theo laying on me. "Were you still going to come with me?" He asked. "Of course. I get off at three, we can go after that."

Theo nodded, then leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to my lips, making my heart leap. His hand slid down my ribcage and settled on my hip. As the kiss deepened, I thought of nothing else but his skin on mine, but allowed reality to splash mental cold water over me.

"I should shower," I said, breaking the kiss. Theo lifted his head and looked down at me. "Can I ask you something?" He asked.

"Anything."

"Why is it that everytime we get the least bit intimate, you back out? Are you scared?" I felt color heat up my cheeks, and inhaled slowly. "It's just...sex is something that my parents always said should be saved for love. I know that that might not mean a lot, but, with them gone...I just want to uphold their wishes for me even if they're not here. And, I'm just not sure if I'm ready."

"I guess I can understand that." He said, sitting up. "Theo, I know I've said a lot in the last couple days that you didn't like, what I just said being another, but I'm not trying to guilt you into anything. I've survived a long time by myself, as have you, and I know that what we feel for each other goes deep, but if it doesn't go deep enough, there's no point in staying together."

"Cass...I'm not the sappy type, but what we've got right now is something I won't just let go of because I feel unsure. When I know where I want to go with it, I will tell you. I don't give up on what I want, even if I lose in the long run." He said, gently pinching my chin before standing and pulling his shirt on.

Somehow, his words did not give me reassurance, but I let it go.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

"See you later!" Cassia said as she kissed my cheek and carefully got out of the truck.

I was too wrapped up in my own head to acknowledge what she'd said, but she was unfazed and went straight in to the hospital without looking back.

It had been something to admit to her this morning that I wasn't going to let her go. She didn't realize that after all this time, my attachment to her was too much to sever. After my nights with her, and weeks of watching every move she made just to see her, protect her, I knew that what I felt went deeper than I cared to admit, even to myself.

But now, it was time to take care of business with the wyvern. I had to guard her, and make sure that when this was said and done, we could move on. Of course, that was assuming that she made it through my explanation tonight.

Tonight, I would tell her about Tara.

I needed to go and pick up the white lilies that I always took to the river, and I knew that it would make Cassia ask questions. If we made it through this, I would tell her after we killed the wyvern how I truly felt.

As terrified and somewhat angered as it made me feel, I had to admit, just to myself for now, that I was indeed in love with Cassia. Liam's stupid ass had gotten it out of me the night before when we'd been arguing, and if he told her before I got the chance...

I'd make his death creative.

Reminding myself to stay on track, I went back to Cassia's house. I picked up her laptop and signed in, immediately going to the internet to look at my email. I was expecting a letter telling me whether or not I had gotten in with a computer software company.

I had not told Cass yet, but I had been job searching, and with this job, I could work from home and not deal with a lot of people, which we both knew would be a good thing. People irritated me.

Finding the email I had been searching for, I inhaled and opened it, relief flooding me when I saw that I had been accepted. I wouldn't start for three weeks, but that was fine, it would be enough time to take care of the wyvern and see where things went with Cassia.

I signed out, and had the cursor on the shut down button when a notification popped up. I clicked on it, seeing that the first word said 'killer'.

Anger pulsed through me when I saw that Damian was on the move again, but at least it was south and not west. I hoped he stumbled into hell while he was on that track.

Cassia would be relieved to know that. His activity recently had been low, probably hiding. If he knew what was good for him, he'd stay away. He wasn't aware that she had a bodyguard now, and one that cared for her deeper than even he cared to let himself feel.

Deleting the notification, I shut down the computer and closed it.

It took what felt like forever, but finally, three rolled around and I went to pick up Cassia from work. In the backseat was a bouquet of lilies, and the answer to my life with or without her. As if the usual grief wasn't enough.

I found her sitting inside the building, in a chair by the desk, her smile so bright as she talked with Melissa. She glanced toward the entrance, seeing my truck, and the light in her eyes brightened. My heart thumped loudly, reminding me that the feeling I had been trying to crush was still very much there. I gave her a small smile back and she waved at Melissa, beginning to walk outside.

"Hey Theo," she said, climbing inside. I was glad to see that she was moving a bit easier despite her stitches. "Hey babe," I said, kissing her quickly, "you seem extra cheerful."

I heard her heart stutter, and wondered why, but she spoke before I could ask. "I don't know, just been in a good mood today."

Well, I hope that my revelation didn't ruin it, because I did like that smile on her face. "Good," I said, and threaded my fingers through hers.

I put the truck in drive and pressed the accelerator. "Where are we going?" She asked as I turned the opposite way of home. "Somewhere...special." I muttered, knowing that it wasn't special in the least.

This place could break my heart a second time, and again, it would be my fault.

 ****The next chapter could make or break Theo and Cassia's relationship...what do you think will happen? Thanks for reading! Have a good day!****


	32. Chapter 32: Broken Hearts

Theo drove rather slowly, a worrisome thing considering how fast he usually drove. Something told me that there had to be something heavy on his mind.

Without a word, I reached over and took his hand in mine, threading my fingers through his, and he gently squeezed them. But his touch wasn't like usual. This time, it felt like a goodbye, and I felt sick to my stomach.

Had he decided to do what was probably best, and end the relationship? Was this a goodbye 'date'?

My heart hurt at the thought.

"We're almost there." He stated, without emotion in his voice. "Okay." I replied, gripping his hand a little tighter. If this was goodbye, I wanted to melt this feeling into my skin, to remember what every single inch of his skin felt like against mine. I had known he might choose this after what I had told him, and he had promised to tell me when he thought best.

Theo pulled the truck up under overhanging branches of a large tree, sunlight reflecting from the green spring leaves. He got out and was at my door before I could open it, and he didn't move once the door was shut.

"Cass," He said, placing his hands on my waist and angling me toward him, "I'm about to tell you something. A dark something, and I am not sure how you will react once I do."

"It's okay." I said.

"No, it isn't."

He let me go, and pulled a newspaper out of the backseat, filled with beautiful, fresh white lilies. "What are these for?" I asked, carefully brushing my fingertips over the extended, velvety petals.

"They're...for a grave." He said, pain entering his eyes for a few seconds before returning to his usual, stony look. I stared at him.

"A grave?" I asked, feeling a little sick to my stomach. "Yes. Come on." He said, taking my hand and walking into the woods.

Broken branches and old leaves crunched underneath our feet, a rather melancholy sound. Before long, a little bridge came into view, old and worn wood over a rustling little creek.

Theo let go of my hand and continued onto the small bridge. I folded my arms and went after him silently. "Theo." I said gently, watching his shoulders tighten a little.

I resisted the urge to pull his hand back into mine. I had to stay focused, and I had to listen to what he had to say, if anything. "Here." He said, breaking the shattering silence and startling me from my thoughts. "Hmm?" I said, tightening the grip around myself.

He looked at me, his eyes black with hidden words behind them, his look fierce. "I'm not a good guy," he said darkly, "I'm not even _a_ good guy. Just the one who does what's best for him."

I swallowed hard.

"I have already stated that I'm not going to change, and I won't act like someone else. Even if I did want to be someone else, my past and the people here would remind me every day that I'm no hero..." He said, placing the lilies on the supporting beam of the bridge.

"Theo-" I stared. "Let me finish," he said sternly, then took a deep breath, "If there is meant to be something...more between us, then I want everything out there."

 _"Please,"_ I thought, _"I don't want to talk about Damian! I see him enough in my nightmares."_

"Go on." I said.

Theo half darkly laughed, half scoffed, but gripped the beam and continued. "I am what I am because I murdered someone. I needed that extra set of DNA to become a Chimera."

Being that he had admitted before to killing people, I wasn't all that surprised. "Okay." I said.

"' _Okay'_? Are you listening to the words I'm saying?"

"Um, yes. You told me before that you had killed people. You just omitted the Chimera part." I said.

He gave me a quizzical look, his fingers digging into the wood. "What the hell is up with you?" He asked, "You're pale a sheet, but you're not freaking out. Cassia," he came forward and grabbed my upper arms, his claws digging softly into my skin, "I murdered my sister. I didn't kill her outright, but I watched as she died of hypothermia. I waited, right where I was just standing. She was there," he growled, throwing his arm in the direction of the creek, "she called out to me, and I watched."

Nausea flowed through me. I pulled out of his hands, backing up a couple of steps.

His own sister.

He had killed his own sister.

Thoughts of Damian swarmed me. Theo had done the very act that Damian was trying to do. How could he...?

"Theo..." I said, tears burning my eyes, "Your pack...your sister...all these people you were supposed to care for. How could you just...?"

Words escaped me. They flew out of my head and vanished into the air like a whisper of smoke. Pain filled my entire chest cavity.

"I am not the same juvenille idiot that I was. I did so many wrongs that I could never do enough rights to equal them, but Cassia," he spoke, "I will never hurt you."

Tears streaked down my cheeks before I could stop them, leaving trails of burning behind. The need to sob hit me, but I choked it back and turned. "How could I ever trust you?" I whispered.

"You've trusted me all this time," he said, "I haven't laid a finger, claw, tooth, whatever, on you. Doesn't that say something?"

He was right. But that didn't change the fact that all I could see now was my own brother in him.

Damian's name sprung to my lips, but I closed them, and instead cleared my throat and wiped my cheeks. "I need time," I told him, not turning back around to face him, "I'm...going to call Cora. Do what you have to do."

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I had never taken a beating that hurt as bad as watching Cassia walk away from me, showing me only her back.

There had been true pain in the tears that had fallen down her face, and it was because of me. I should have known better.

Anger filled me, and I walked off in the opposite direction of her, laying into the first tree that I came across. I punched it again and again, the pain helping aid the stupid feelings I felt. Within seconds, the bark where I punched was black from my blood, and my knuckles were near unrecognizable.

Pulling back, I examined them. I could clearly see the bone, white amongst the red and pink of my muscles. But it only helped temporarily. Who knew if she would be able to see past this.

I wasn't sure why it had affected her so deeply; perhaps it was because I had been so blunt... or the fact that a serial killer had murdered those closest to her.

I was healing physically already, and I headed back toward the bridge, where the newspaper and lilies still lay. With my healing, battered hand, I took a single flower from the paper, and held it over the water.

"It's okay, Tara," I said, thinking back to my visit with her in hell, "you got me again."

I let go of the flower, and watched it land in the clear creek. It bounced underneath for just milliseconds, then sprung back up, whisking away with the flow. Droplets clung to the bowing petals, carrying it away as fast as Cassia was running from me.

I braced myself against the beam, tucking my arms around my chest and staring into the water. It rushed by in waves and bubbles, no clear end in sight, and I wished at that moment that it could take the words I had told her and wash them away also.

I had asked for this the moment I allowed myself to care for her. The only thing now was to go on, and act like nothing happened.

Liam was sure to be a pain in the ass about it.

After I could no longer see the flower, I angrily smacked the rest, newspaper and all, into the current and walked back to my truck.

Once there, I climbed in, and sat, glaring at my reflection in the mirror. Rage surging through me again, I punched the mirror, shattering it and leaving behind lines of my blood on the glass.

It would suck later, but right now, it was only making me feel better to break it all. Hopefully it would make the pain in my chest go away.

I snarled when my phone went off loudly, and snatched it up to see Liam's name on the screen.

"What?" I bit.

"Well damn, on your period?" He replied, earning a warning growl from me. "Whatever man," he went on, "I called because the weapons have set up. We're planning to attack in two days."

 ****Thank you guys for reading, I hope you're enjoying! Don't worry, there is more story coming in Theo's and Cassia's tale!****


	33. Chapter 33: Kidnapped

"So, why exactly did you call me?" Cora asked, turning the car toward the direction of my house and out of Beacon Hills Preserve.

"I needed to be away from him. I...I don't know." I said, keeping my gaze determinedly to my window. "What happened?" She prodded.

"Theo told me about his sister...he killed her." "Yeah, I know." "And you didn't tell me?" I asked.

"You've known since about five minutes after you got here that he's a bastard." She pointed out, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, but..."

But I had no idea he would go so far. That he _could._

"Cass, you've been with him for a while, and known him even longer. Has he showed any intention of harming you?" "Are you actually trying to make me go back to him?" I growled.

"I tried telling you for months that he wasn't a good person, but you saw better," she fired back, "Liam tried, Melissa tried, even the doctor mentioned that he was an asshole, and yet, you still went for him. And now, you're in love with him."

"Cora, I never imagined that he was just another shade of Damian. He's exactly the same thing, but in a different wrapper." I said, my heart clenching in pain. But unlike Damian, my heart was doomed to love Theo.

Cora sighed, "Cass, I'm not going to say 'he's different', because that's cliche, but he's not _all_ Damian. He hasn't killed anyone without need in the past three years."

"Define 'without need'." I demanded.

"Meaning," she went on, "he hasn't killed anyone who didn't deserve it. Even when the last big wig of evil was here, he didn't kill anyone. He beat the shit out of people, but he didn't kill anyone. That's when he became an ally to Scott. In fact, Tracy was the last person he killed, and that was about four years ago."

"Cora, you know more than anyone else here what my story is. I never told Theo that Damian was my brother." "And why is that?" She asked.

"Because, I didn't want him to think I could be that way too." "Okay, hold the hell on." She said, stomping on the brakes and glaring at me, "One, you know that Theo has killed, will kill, and may kill in the future. Two, he has proven to you time and again that he won't kill you, even if you piss him off. Three, isn't the whole damned point of a relationship about trust? Theo _trusts_ you, Cassia. That doesn't make him less of a bastard, at all, but he does not trust anyone. Not me, not Liam or Mason, not even Corey, and he was originally part of his pack."

She was certainly laying into me over this. I probably needed the sense knocked into me, but I couldn't stop the tremors that came over me again as I thought back to his face at the bridge. I saw darkness, but come to think of it, I had also seen grief. But, had that been because of what he'd done? Or because he didn't want to tell me?

"Thanks for telling me all of that, but I can't go back." I said after a long pause, "I tried for years to make things work with Damian, but he never cared. All that mattered was his lust for the kill, and I'm first in line on that list. I can't run from two people."

"Have you seen the asshole chasing the car? I sure haven't. I would've backed over him." She said, putting the car in drive again. I smiled.

Then reality hit me.

Theo and I had seperated. All the pain came flooding into my chest, seizing my heart. I felt sick. Then the tears really came. Cora pulled up quietly to my house, then turned off the car.

She said nothing as I wept in her passenger seat, holding my sore side and remembering all the kisses he'd bestowed there. All the nights he held me, that feeling that swept through me as I watched my pain leak into his skin and knowing that without hesitation he would do it again.

All of that would never go away, and I had fought to keep it in my life. Consequently, it would always hurt me as well.

When I finally began to catch my breath, I wiped my face and looked at Cora. "I'm sorry," I said, "I'm not usually so emotional." "Are you pregnant?" She joked.

I laughed, "No, Theo and I never went that far. I was both smart and cruel enough to shut him down each time." She chuckled as well, "Just try to remember, Cass, that's he's only ninety-five percent evil. That other five percent is hidden layers beneath his skin, layers that you, and only you, have the ability to peel back."

"I can't believe that Cora Hale is giving me relationship advice. And for Theo, no less." I teased her. "For one night only," she said, gently punching my shoulder, "go sleep on it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"'Kay." I replied, then crawled out of her car and went into the house. I watched as her car disappeared into the evening sun, then sat down on the couch and let my mind wander.

Ironically, I wanted nothing more than for Theo to force the door open and wrap me up in his warm arms, but at the same time, I also knew that if he did that, it might be the end of me.

He had killed her for DNA. He hadn't said how old he was, but my guess was a lot younger than a killer should be, and I thought about how glad I should be that our life together was nothing more than a faded dream now. But it didn't soothe my aching heart. What if we had married, and I gave him my whole future?

...What if I had given him a child?

The idea made me shudder. I didn't want kids any time soon, if ever. My parents had dreamed of children since they met and even a little before, and it had earned them death. After him, it made me wonder how they could have ever made the decision to keep me. Damian was well into his childhood before I got here, and already he had made life a living hell.

Perhaps they had thought I might soften him. Maybe I was the little girl my mother had dreamed of. But none of it mattered now. They were gone, Damian was hunting me down to kill me, and I was forced to be alone again.

 _"You promised me,"_ I thought to Theo, _"promised that as long as you were here, I would have someone. But you showed me who you really could be."_

I needed to leave. I had put it off for so long that the idea actually scared me now. I had grown into an ingrained position here, with Theo and Beacon Hills and all of it.

I would have to-

I startled from my thoughts when a crash from my bedroom came suddenly. What the hell?

I stood quietly, feeling my breath all but leave me, and grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen.

"He...hello?" I asked, "Theo, if that's you, this knife is going in you!"

I tried to keep the warning from sounding shaky, but was unsuccessful. Another thump showed me that the intruder was still in the house.

Quietly, I tiptoed my way to the door. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to dial 911.

Just as I went to press the first one, the intruder burst through the door and pinned me to the floor.

"HELP!" I screamed.

All of my wriggling stopped as I assessed my attacker.

Thick, black, scaly skin. Glowing silver eyes. Green smoke coming from the nose, and long talons and fangs.

I gulped, then decided if I was going to die anyway, I might as well try talking to her.

"...Zinnia?" I asked, and the creature snorted, then growled, leaning down closer to my face and hissing. I heard myself make an odd squeaky noise.

The creature roared, then I watched as she transformed back into her human form over me. "You don't have to do this," I said, and her eyes lit back up.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." She signed, "I'm just getting started."

Before I could protest, she struck out and connected a fist to my jaw and the whole world went black.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I gripped the steering wheel so hard that I left holes in the rubber from my claws.

I couldn't believe that I was sitting in Liam's parkway, like I actually needed his advice or something. I knew exactly what he was going to say to me. That I was a dumbass and now he would kill me for hurting her and blah blah blah.

So why was I even here?

I could easily just go over to her house and tell her that it was a mistake and so on, but could I face the words she would say? Maybe I should just drive off and forget all this mess, let Liam and the others deal with the wyvern.

Start something else with this job I had now, perhaps find a girl that I could call over for nights occasionally.

I slammed my hand down on the dash, and punched it a couple more times. Damn it, I didn't want another girl! I wanted what I set out to have, and only her.

I felt eyes on me and glared up at Liam's bedroom window, and I watched the curtains slide back into place as he hid behind them. "Stop being a coward and get your ass out here." I growled.

Although I knew he probably couldn't hear me, he must have known I was waiting for him, because a few seconds later, he came through his front door and out to my truck. He hopped into the passenger seat, a smile on his face. He hadn't said one word, yet I wanted to punch his teeth in.

"What are you smiling about?" I snarled.

"Just you being angry is enough to make me want to skip." He said, "Why are you here, Theo?"

"I fucked things up with Cassia." I said, refraining from punching the truck again. "Must have been a serious screw up," he said, fingering the broken rearview mirror and the dents in the dash, "She's been all over you since you went all hero on her."

"Don't start." I grumbled, "I knew better than to come here."

"Then why did you? I told you already that she'd run away when she saw your true colors. Didn't stop her from being stupid though." "I guess I needed to vent and you're the only sorry son of a bitch that I know would have semi-decent advice." I answered.

Liam gave a surprised laugh then looked at me. "You really are stupid, Theo." "As you've told me before." I muttered. "I don't mean like I usually say, though it's true as well. Do you honestly, for two seconds, believe that you've fully lost her?"

"Seemed final to me, damn it." I said, balling up my fist and settling it on my thigh. "She's a girl," he said, giving an eye roll, "One minute, they're wrapped up in your arms, then the next second they're screaming 'don't touch me' to punish you."

"This is more than a little tiff, Liam. I told her about Tara." "How was that any different from telling her about your pack?" He asked. "I don't know, but she looked at me...like I had hit her. She recoiled like I was targeting her next. She's never known my touch beyond what you've seen."

"Maybe there is something deeper to her stalker than she let on. Did you ask her?" "No," I said, "I didn't get time. She ran off and called Cora."

"Sounds to me like it's beyond being a little scared. I think she may have felt betrayed." He said.

Now that he had mentioned it, the air around her had had a bitter edge to it. It was something to push her to talk about, assuming she would let me back into her life.

"Sometimes you're not as dumb as you usually are." I said. "Was that actually a compliment?" Liam asked, his wide eyes pissing me off instantly. "No," I growled, "now get out. I've got some thinking to do."

"Yeah, you're welcome. Jackass." He muttered, climbing out of the truck.

Chuckling, I pressed the gas and eventually settled under a canopy of trees to sleep out the night.

Pulling the blanket up over my torso, I thought back to Liam's words. I did need to ask her about what I could do to fix things, but I also needed to know more information about her stalker. Unfortuntely, that information might not come soon.

At some point, I had drifted off, because when my phone went off with a video message, the clock said 3 A.M. I rubbed my eyes then grabbed the phone and settled back in.

Cassia.

She had sent me a video. Maybe she had been up late like I had, thinking of a way to talk about what had happened earlier. Taking a deep breath I opened the video, then dropped it in shock as I saw her tied to a beam with tape across her mouth.

 ****Uh oh, Cassia has been kidnapped! But for what purpose? I hope you guys enjoyed, and thanks for reading! Have a good day!****


	34. Chapter 34: Into The Hunt

My head throbbing woke me before I was ready to even be awake. The bright lights in my face burned my eyes as I began opening them.

How long had I been here and where was I?

I tried to move, but my wrists were firmly anchored to the wooden support beam in the ceiling. My arms burned with the need for circulation, my shoulders twitched and ached from holding my dead weight in one position for who knew how long.

I took slow, steady breaths through my nose and tried not to think of the itching area under the tape around my mouth.

I thought back to my last conscious memory, of Zinnia standing over me and the strong punch she had laid on my head. Was she here? Were there others?

What could she possibly want with me? I was the weakest in the group, and no one even knew that I was gone. Perhaps I was going to be a bargaining chip.

I tried to move again, anything that would soothe my sore limbs and enable me to get out. I kicked at a nearby table, but nothing was there, and I only made noise by knocking it over. Great, now she'd know I was awake.

I heard movement above me, which meant the place I was in had at least two stories, and based on the fact that the floor was concrete, I guessed this was a basement.

Even brighter light shone down on me as a door opened at the top of the stairs I hadn't been able to see before. Zinnia stepped into the room, wearing clothes that represented a much older time.

She had been planning, waiting for this, for a long time.

"Good, you're awake," she signed with her hands, then snatched the tape off my face.

"Zinnia, please, whatever it is you want, we can find a way around this. Isn't it enough, all the people you've killed?" I asked her.

She turned slowly from where she was, giving me a look so fierce, so angry and hateful, that I wished I hadn't said anything at all.

"No," she angrily signed, "it's not enough! You humans destroy everything. Nature, the planet, even your own kind. Anything that's different from you, you kill it." "That's not everyone, Zinnia-"

She jumped forward and punched my injured side, bringing forth a gutteral, combined scream and cry. I felt the blood begin to drip from under the bandage and soak into my clothes. Pain radiated throughout my hip, back and abdomen.

I bit my lip hard to stop the tears that welled up in response. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.

"Those murderers that you sought out for help will die," she signed, once I looked back up at her, "They will pay for every drop of blood they spilled with my family. I've waited three hundred years for this day."

"Why after all this time?" I grunted, "Why now? You could have proven your point decades ago! The people you killed here didn't deserve it."

"I could never be sure of their position, they're an elusive bunch. They were harboring their young until they grew up all this time, but I will hunt down each and every one of them." She signed, a dark smile coming over her face.

She already had a taste for their blood, and my friends as well. They needed to get out of the line of fire.

"What was the whole point of bringing me here?!" I asked angrily, "I won't do anything for you!"

"Oh, but you will," she motioned, "Killing you will bring the fury of your friends. Don't worry, it won't be quick."

With that, she headed back to the stairs and disappeared behind the door.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

"I don't give one single fuck about what new fact you found, I want to find Cassia!" I snarled at the bunch of idiots in front of me.

I had gone and woken up everyone hours before, directly after the video had found its way to my phone. I was panicked, and everyone seemed worried, but I felt their need to distract me hitting like bullets.

"Theo," Cora said, somewhat softly, "This thing has been hiding out for months, and we haven't found it once besides when it was out and about. We're going to do everything, but without any hints, our chances of finding her...are slim."

"You don't seem to understand. We _have_ to find her. If I have to go without you guys, I will. She can't die, not like this. I refuse to let her."

Their expressions angered me beyond words, making me want to wage war on each of them. "I think this thing knew we were planning to attack." Liam said then, "Why else would it have timed it so perfectly? Tomorrow was the day, and now she's got Cassia. She knows that we won't sacrifice her on purpose."

"We won't be sacrificing her at all!" I yelled, "You tried every which way to save this creature, but you are giving up on your _friend!_ You've actually begun to disgust me."

"We're not giving up on her," Cora replied icily, "we will find her, but none of us, including you, can afford to fuck it up, even a little bit. We are a slave to this creature's wishes, or we will lose her. Now calm down."

I took a deep breath and ran my hands through my hair, willing myself not to lose it. I hadn't fallen to pieces in front of these guys before, and I wasn't about to start, but the thought of Cassia suffering to this creature's hand...made me want to kill it all the more.

I glimpsed at the shiny golden arrows on the doctor's desk. They had been brought here so that we could make sure the creature didn't find them. If it took our only line of defense, there was no saving Beacon Hills or it's people.

I snapped out of my daze when, simultaneously, all of our phones began going off with messages.

From the look on everyone's faces, I knew they had received what I had: another video message. Dreading the act, I punched the open button, and the others followed suit.

There she was again.

My Cassia, bound up, but this time, the tape was gone. My stomach roiled and my eyes brightened in anger as I watched her face scrunch up in pain, and I saw why.

Her side was exposed, and raw again. Recently fresh blood was caked and dried on her skin and torn clothes, the bandage nowhere in sight. Her wrists, still tied to where I'd seen them previously that early morning, were raw also. Her hair was glued to her face with sweat, and she looked so hurt and tired...

"Guys," she croaked, just loud enough for the microphone to pick up on whatever device the creature was using for her to talk to us through.

"Cassia," Cora said, worry colored her voice.

Cassia cleared her throat, "Guys, you can't search for me. You won't find me." She went on, looking into the camera, "She's telling me what to say, please, listen to her, okay?"

Like hell.

"She says there is a way to save the town, but only if you abide by her rules. First, she wants you to surrender all weapons of gold. She says to place them outside of the hospital, in the dumpster where she'll retrieve them. Second, she wants the location of the Dorados."

She gulped, breathing heavily.

"You have twenty-four hours."

And just like that, the video stopped and left us all breathless.

"Twenty-four hours," Liam whispered, "If we don't get these things done, she's going to kill Cassia."

I actually felt tears well up in my eyes, but swallowed hard and shook my head. I walked over and grabbed the four golden arrows.

"Where is the spear?" I demanded. "We can't just give them to her!" Liam cried, "If we do that, you know as well as I do that she's not going leave the people of Beacon Hills alive! We have to find a way to hide at least one thing."

"I don't give a shit about any of those people, or about any of you," I said fiercely, "but I am going to save Cassia. Where. Is. The spear."

Liam stared at me, a sullen, accepting look on his face. "Now I know for sure." He said.

"What?" I asked.

"You truly love her. Do you have any intentions of telling her?" "As soon as I get her out of that damned hellhole she's currently in, I will."

"Okay, here's the plan." Liam said after a pause, "We hide one arrow. A single arrow. That means we only get one shot. We take the other three, the spear and the little remaining dust to the dumpster, make it appear that we've surrendered. Two of us will take care of that, the rest will search for Cassia, using scent, vision, whatever you have to."

"How are we going to do this without alerting her? Who's to say she won't discover our plan and kill Cass before we get there?" Cora said.

"Corey and Mason will take the arrow, go invisible and walk to Argent's house. If she can't see the arrow, she won't know we have it. Once we have her where we want her, Argent will take the shot and hopefully, kill the creature."

"Mason," Cora said, taking one of the arrows from my arm and handing it to him, "be careful. Cassia is depending on us. Beacon Hills, and the Dorados, are counting on us."

He nodded, then took Corey's outstretched hand. We watched them melt into the background and heard them exit the door. After that, they were alone.

"Now our part for the night. We have to find Cassia, and hope she's not already dead."

 ****Thanks for reading! Hope you're all enjoying!****


	35. Chapter 35: Tick-Tock

Zinna pointed the camera face down on the chair, then walked over to me.

"I did what you asked. Please, don't hurt them." I begged.

"Don't you know that there's only one way supernaturals can truly be hurt? The only way to kill them effectively is through pain. Simple enough, right?" She signed, smiling as she motioned.

"You can't use wolfsbane! I saw you get trapped that night in the bank vault!" I said. "Not for long. And no, I won't be using wolfsbane."

With those words, she closed the distance between us and brought a knife up to my face. It was so polished that I could see my reflection in it as clear as any mirror.

"Emotional pain," she put the blade in its case before signing again, "is what kills us. Luckily for my family, I was strong enough to move past their murders. You would know all about that, wouldn't you?"

I gasped, looking up at her.

"How do you know about my family?" I whispered. "A little birdy." She signed. "Do you know him?" I asked. "I know of him. A genius truly." She replied.

I gulped. "Is he here?"

"Well now, I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises! I'm sure your big brother will give you a warm, welcoming reunion...that is if you make it out of here." She said back.

"I don't care what you do to me." I stated, "Just please, don't hurt my friends. They will do what you ask."

"Somehow, I'm not assured," she signed, then rolled her eyes and took a blocky item from a duffle bag behind the chair.

"What is that?" I asked.

Smiling, she tore the plastic from around it, and held it up for me to see.

A bomb.

I really wasn't going to make it out. I never told Theo that I loved him.

Tears began to slip down my cheeks silently. I would die, and he would never know that regardless of the nightmare he had revealed to me, I loved him.

I loved him more than my next breath. He had opened up to me a world I had never dreamed possible. A safe world where I was desired and protected. Where I hadn't been a freak, or a serial killer's sister. If I was going to die, I had to tell him, somehow.

"Thinking of that aggressive moron?" She signed snarkily as she passed by me. I heard her set the bomb down, then a few clicking noises and a beep.

Then tick-tocking.

She returned to stand in front of me.

"I suppose I could let you watch the seconds tick by." She commented, then reached up and loosened the rope. She pushed me to the oppsotie side of the beam, forced me to sit, and tied my hands behind the pole.

I was facing the bomb now, which ticked by at 4:29:07.

"Wait!" I said as she stood back up, "You said they had twenty-four hours!" "I never said _you_ did. I said I wouldn't hurt the townspeople. Remember what I said about emotional pain?" She signed, then bent down and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, "That's how I break your pack. I won't have to kill them. They'll kill themselves. Be it through anger, or seeking revenge, or sadness or insanity. It'll be very poetic, I'm sure."

When her hands settled, she stood back up and walked upstairs, leaving me alone to watch the bomb tick down to my death.

The break up with Theo weighed on me heavily at that moment. It seemed so stupid now. Faced with a bomb that would end my life in four and a half hours, it didn't even matter then. Why hadn't I said that I could get past it and that I loved him?

And now, I would never get the chance.

But I had to try and save myself. More than likely, she would be too busy to bother checking on me again.

I couldn't see much in the darkness of the basement. Besides the light to my back and the numbers on the bomb, there was nothing but pitch black around me.

Using my feet, I stretched my leg as far as I could and searched for anything that might be sharp enough to use against the rope. I started from the left, and slowly swept across the floor. Dirt scraped under my shoe, but I felt nothing.

I kept going. Just before I stopped at the farthest I could reach to the right, I heard a light clank, like metal, on the cement.

I could just barely touch it.

I was so tired. The amount of blood I had lost, along with the probable concussion Zinna had given me, was not a good combination. I could pass out at any second, and for who knew how long. Then time would dwindle, and my friends...Theo...would never know they were running on 19 hours shorter time than they were told.

But I stretched farther, feeling an ache from reaching more than I ever had. My shoe caught on to the object and I attempted to drag it to me.

By the time I had even gotten in within light enough for me to see, a little under an hour had passed. I could see now that it was a dull hatchet blade. Rust colored the old metal, and the handle was long gone. If I could manage to push it to my hands somehow, I might could wear the rope down.

But how long would that take?

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I sat in my truck, going back and forth between rubbing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose.

We had searched for three hours, and not even a scent.

This thing had hidden her well, and I was nauseous at the thought that she could be dying right now, and I couldn't help her. I had promised that I would protect her, and I had failed.

Where on earth could this thing have stored her?

A message came through on my phone, and I begged for it to not be a video of Cassia. I didn't want to see her like that again until I was untying and kissing her.

I blew a sigh when Liam's name appeared on the screen.

 _Arrow arrived undectected and safely. Chris will hide it. Making drop off at two a.m._

I looked at the clock, and read 12:43 A.M.

Hopefully, if we met with her, she would tell us where Cassia was. If it meant giving up the Dorados, so be it.

I put the phone down on my knee and rubbed my face again. I felt more tired than usual, probably because I wasn't used to such worry. I had never had to worry about anyone, because they were disposible. Cassia...my only exception.

I took the spear from the passenger seat and gripped the wooden handle. I thought back to the very first time Cassia had sat in that seat. She was angry at me, which is exactly what I had wanted. She'd crossed her legs and stared out the window the entire time, then proceeded to bark commands at me once we got back to Cora's house.

I smiled to myself.

Once I got her out of there, I would show her a good life. Even though I didn't love the thought, I would go so far as to marry her one day, so long as she stayed by my side.

Blowing a sigh, I got out of the truck and stood in the parking lot of the hospital, heading toward the dumpster where Cora would meet me to give the creature the weapons.

Cora was propped up against the big, blue garbage can, and met my look as I approached. "Any sign yet?" I asked, handing her the spear.

"Nope, but it shouldn't be long." She replied, taking the arrows from her jacket pocket.

About twenty minutes later, a car came into the lot and parked. A figure that I recognized stepped from the driver's seat. I would never have guessed that this small framed girl would be our creature.

She held up a piece of paper with words scribbled on it.

Where are the Dorados

"Ensenada, Mexico." Cora said, "Here, here is everything, even the leftover dust." She thrust the wrapped up items into the creature's hands, "Where is our friend?"

The creature smiled, then turned and began walking off. Oh, she wasn't going to pull this shit, not with me.

"Hey, snake-eyes," I growled, snatching her backwards, making her almost drop the things she carried, " _Where is she?_ "

The creature growled in response, dropped the weapons and threw a punch, connecting it to my gut. As I bent over to try and regain my air supply, she scratched words onto the board and showed them to us.

No hints. She has limited time. Better hurry.

"That's not good enough!" I gasped out, but she was already leaving again. Cora raced after her, landing a punch to her jaw. The creature roared, then grew her claws out.

"Think I'm scared of your poison, Mute?" Cora snarled. Growling, the creature struck out, and Cora responded with a perfect blow to the creature's inner elbow, breaking the bone.

The creature dropped the weapons then, and began to fully shift. We watched as she grew taller and scaly, and her eyes narrowed into silver, reptilian slits.

"Theo, it's time." Cora said, and I stood taller.

Oh yes, it was.

Time for the showdown, and time for this creature to die.

I sprung forward, attempting to grab a weapon and the creature swung her tail, slicing deeply into my forearm. Blood colored the torn fabric of my jacket and I backed away from her next strike.

Cora jumped forward, landing a punch to the creature's nose. When she struck the sensitive area, the creature roared in pain and swung at her with it's claws. They tore her shirt front, but missed her skin by half an inch.

"Theo, get a weapon!" She screamed, swinging at the creature again and missing.

I dove for the weapons, but it was too late.

In Cora's haste to yell the words to me, the creature struck out and pushed it's claws into her stomach. With a final roar, the creature snatched the weapons up and shifted back, running toward the car.

I ran to Cora's side and she struggled to continue breathing. "Damn it, Cora!" I yelled, "You should never have taken your eyes off of her!"

"Too...late," She whispered, holding her mangled stomach.

Green veins were making their way up her stomach and down her legs.

"Didn't...think t-that this...would be it." She gasped, giving a rough grunt of a laugh.

"Do you really think you're getting out of this that easy?" I said icily, pulling a syringe with the herbs from my back jeans pocket, "You owe Cassia enough to stick around a while longer."

I then forced the needle into her side and pushed on the syringe. She roared in pain, but the veins began clearing up and eventually all of it was gone, even the entry wound.

"How in the hell did you have that?" She panted, sitting up.

"Melissa." I said, standing up and looking to where the creature's vehicle had been, "She didn't tell us where she is."

"We'll find her, come on," She grunted again, and stood up.

 ****That was a close one for Cora, but at least Theo thought fast! NOw they have to find Cassia before it's too late! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed!****


	36. Chapter 36: The Final Showdown

3...2...1

I counted down the numbers to myself as they crossed over to the last hour on the bomb. I had managed to push the blade up to my hip and was able to grab and pull it with my thumb and index finger at some point, and had been working on it for over an hour.

I had no clue whether or not the rope was wearing down or not, all I could do was hope. I had heard Zinnia pack up shop and leave before the beginning of the second hour, so I knew she wouldn't catch me.

0:59:37 said the bomb in red numbers.

I kept in mind that I needed to focus on what I was doing and why I had to do it. Not just to live, but to tell Theo that I loved him. He had to know, whether or not I lived through this.

Finding a little bit of a second wind, I shoved the blade harder into the rope, as hard as possible with my hands tied. I listened to the scratch of the rusty metal against the thick, rough vine, and pushed myself to stay alert.

I had been forcing myself not to pass out, even though I wanted to give in. My head throbbed painfully with each beat of my heart. My clothes were sticky with blood and sweat, and the heat of the basement wasn't helping my drowsiness.

I kept the second wind going for twenty minutes, until my wrists gave out from exhaustion, and I let the blade slide to the floor, though I kept a grip on it to keep from dropping it completely. If I lost it now, I wouldn't be able to retrieve it.

I had a little more than thirty-nine minutes left.

I brushed my forehead across my shoulder, attempting to remove the hair that had plastered itself to my cheek and jaw, and took two deep breaths before forcing myself to get back at it.

I pulled against the rope, and felt it give way just a tiny bit. That meant that I was at least making a little progress.

I began hacking at the rope once more. My wrists and knuckles were screaming for me to stop, but I could deal with sore muscles later. I was going to make it out of this.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

"The creature's car was spotted by a deputy four miles from here. Argent is going to try and cut her off. She's headed to the freeway to go to the border." Liam said through the phone.

"He's got one damn shot, he better make it." I said, then hung up before Liam could respond.

Cora pushed the accelerator down harder, topping 75 and made a drastic right turn. "If he has to kill her before we get an answer, we won't find Cassia." Cora said, and made a sharp left.

"I know, I know!" I barked, frustrated and sick to my stomach.

After what felt like two hours, we came across a wrecked vehicle, an exact match to the one the creature drove. Something must have surprised her, because the bag with the weapons was still in the backseat. She couldn't be far.

In perfect timing, I heard her roar in anger. "That came from the woods." Cora said, and began running in the direction the sound had come from.

I ran after her. I had to get an answer from her, before Argent killed her.

Finally, we reached the grounds at which we had heard the roar, and the sounds of combat in the distance caught our attention. They hadn't waited for us to help, so who knew what was going on.

We ran farther, toward the fighting. Argent was the first we saw upon our arrival and he nodded to us, his crossbow aimed and ready.

"Wait," I told him, "we have to get an answer from her to know where Cassia is!" "You'd best hurry then!" He yelled, then ducked away as Liam was thrown into a tree beside him.

The creature roared in fury. Quickly I intercepted her rush toward Liam, surprising her, and managed to land a blow to her chest. She fell back, then hopped to her feet and took off into the woods.

"Don't let her go far!" Argent yelled, then took off after her.

"We can't wait to kill her anymore, we have to take her down!" Liam shouted.

" _No!_ " I growled, "Without her telling us the location, we won't find Cassia!" "Yes we will, we're smart!" He replied, running after Argent.

I took off after him, but not to join him. I would kill him before he got to her first and ended my only chance of finding Cassia.

I caught up to him in no time and tackled him. "Are you crazy?!" Liam screamed, dodging one of my punches.

"I won't let you take away my chances of finding her!" I yelled back, landing a punch that snapped his head back. "Get the fuck off of me, Theo!" He yelled, "There's a bigger problem!"

He connected a punch directly to my jaw, making me angrier than I had been.

"YOU IDIOTS!" Cora roared, flying over and snatching me by my jacket hood off of Liam, "Find another time to have a pissing contest! We can't let her escape! Theo!" She growled, jerking me in the direction we needed to head, "Pull your shit together! LET'S GO!"

Letting the adrenaline and rage fuel me, I went on toward the creature.

We stopped in a clearing, and she was standing there, looking menacing. She glared at me, then Cora and Liam. Smoke puffed from her nostrils, and I could hear her heartbeat speeding up, because she knew that she could lose.

And she would if I had anything to do with it.

Just as I bent to lunge toward her, she put a hand up in a 'stop' motion. I stayed crouched, but didn't move. With a sigh, she shifted back into her human form.

"Let's just get the theatrics out of the way." She spoke.

Stunned, we all stared at her.

"You could talk, all this time?" Liam asked. "Of course I could, moron. I just had to keep you all on your toes." She said, rage making her frame tremble.

"Lore says you can't!" Cora growled.

"Well, I learned. I had a lot of time after the murders that took place." "You're not getting anyone's sympathy." I said. "Do you honestly believe that I need _your_ sympathy?" She responded.

She lunged forward and swiped at me, but I jumped back and she missed. She blocked Cora's next punch, then flipped her. Liam swung at her, but she caught his arm and flung him several feet away.

"You're going to die." Cora said from her place on the ground. "Not today, I have vengeance to seek." she replied, placing her foot on Cora's throat and pushing. I jumped up and tackled her, pinning her to the ground.

"Tell me where Cassia is!" I demanded.

"You're too late," she whispered, smiling. I punched her, and she laughed, spitting blood to the side. "Where is she?!" I hissed.

"Love..." she coughed, "Is a stupid thing."

She grew out her fangs and rose to try and bite me, but I slammed her head to the ground, feeling my own grow out and my eyes brighten.

"Where. Is. Cassia?" I ground out, pushing her head farther into the dirt with each word.

"It doesn't matter. She's already dead, and if you try to go find out, you lose me. Either way, I win, and you don't have your weapons to kill me."

"Think again!" Argent yelled, running out of the shadows. I knew what he was going to do, but I didn't think quick enough to stop him.

Before I could do anything to stop him, he rushed forward and plunged the golden arrow into her chest.

She let loose a roar of pain, which slowly began to die down to struggled gurgles. Blood came to her lips, coloring her teeth and chin.

"I...s-still...w-won." She choked out, then her head tilted to the side as the light faded from her silver eyes.

Argent panted a couple of times from the ordeal, and braced up against a tree. I stood silently, and turned to look at him darkly.

"She didn't say where Cassia was." I said through clenched teeth.

"We will find her," he said, coming up off of the tree, "but now, we don't have to worry that she will escape or kill anyone else." He walked over and put a hand on my shoulder.

I snatched away from him and began walking in the direction of my truck that Cora and I had driven here. "Theo," Liam chased after me, "calm down, we have to think rationally."

"You think rationally. I have to find Cassia." I said.

"Guys! Guys!" came a voice in the distance.

"Mason?" Liam asked, as Cora and Argent came up behind us.

"Liam! Guys!"

"Over here!" Cora answered.

Mason burst through the bushes, unshed tears lining the lower lids of his eyes, and he began saying a bunch of incoherent words, trying to force them out through his breathlessness.

"Mason, slow down, take a breath!" Liam commanded, forcing Mason to sit on the ground. After a few seconds, Mason swallowed hard and started again, this time with a wavering voice instead of a panicked one.

"The sheriff just sent out deputies to Beacon Hills preserve." He looked up then, staring only at me, "A bomb went off in a hidden cellar. They believe that Cassia was in there."

 ****I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but it will be worth it! Thank you for reading and look for more soon!****


	37. Chapter 37: Lost And Found

Ugh...what had happened?

My head, back, hips and shoulders hurt liked I had never felt before. I recalled hearing a loud noise, and then suddenly the whole world had exploded. I had broken free of my ropes, the bomb telling me I had ten seconds left.

Without thinking, I had begun running up the stairs. I had only made it a few steps out of the house when it went off, throwing me hard against the trunk of a nearby tree and covering me in dirt and debris.

Looking around as best I could, I saw that I was trapped beneath a half of one of the walls of the house that the cellar had been in, and I hurt too bad to try and move it away from me. If someone didn't show up soon, I wasn't sure I could get out of the mess.

Relaxing as best I could, I used every ounce of energy left to keep myself from falling asleep. It couldn't end like this. There were still things I needed to do, and people I needed to see, Theo being the main one.

I felt myself drifting again, and shook my dizzy head to sober up.

 _Come on, Cassia, live! Do it for Mom and Dad!_ I screamed at myself. I tried to push the wall away from me, but it creaked and remained unmoved. I didn't want to risk it falling even more down on me, so I stopped and did my best to relax in the uncomfortable position that I had been forced into.

Suddenly, I heard what sounded like sirens in the distance. Cops?

I hoped so, maybe they could get this wall off of me.

There was so much blood everywhere that I was amazed I was still alive. Zinnia had done a number on my side once again, and add that to the list of injuries I had received from the explosion, whatever had sliced me on it's way by and the collision with the tree. I just hoped none of them were fatal.

The sirens had since gone closer, but hard as I tried, I couldn't manage to keep my eyes open any longer. The heaviness in my lids was too strong, and I finally succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I'd forgotten all about my truck, and taken off through the woods toward the location that the cops had been given.

If Cassia really had been in that explosion, then the creature was right: She had won and Cassia was dead. My chest ached with pain. All I could hope for was that she'd made it out.

Why hadn't we stumbled across an old building or something holding that cellar while we were searching? It should have been an easy find, and I could have saved her. Guilt pulsed through me.

I followed the sirens, going deeper into the preserve. A jogger had heard and seen the explosion in the horizon and had alerted the authorites, and Mason had been at the station with Corey. We had told them to stay there in case the creature got lose and went stark raving mad on the town.

And Mason had run out to tell us, in the hopes that we would find her...alive.

My mind raced over a million things a second, and I actually felt tears burn my eyes again. I had swallowed them back approximately fifteen times while running like this. When I stopped running, I didn't know if it would be to the woman I loved, or a dead body.

Finally, the sirens' screams clustered together, and I knew we had arrived at the spot. I burst through the bushes, seeing destruction, debris everywhere and cops bustling about.

"Theo," the sheriff warned, coming over to stand in front of me, but he didn't touch me, "you have to let us handle this. If you get involved and find something you don't like, there is no telling what you will do."

"And if she's really gone," I said, feeling a lump in the back of my throat, "then I need to see it."

Sheriff Stilinski eyed me, a familiar sadness showing in his tired, blue eyes. "Okay, son," he relented, putting a hand on my shoulder that I allowed, and we walked a little farther into the scene of the crime.

The whole cellar was just a giant hole in the ground. Broken off wooden beams protruded from the soil, and pieces of concrete lay in chucks here and there, though most of the floor was intact. Where the bomb must have been was an area of solid black and char, and two or three steps remained of what had been the way up and down.

What was left of the house was bits of wall scattered on the ground several yards away, and one solid piece of half the wall. It was that wall that drew my attention.

It was laid up against a big tree, looking as if at any second, it would collapse. "Sheriff," I spoke, pointing toward the tree. "Hazardous," he replied, "but we'll check it out. Deputy Sanders," he motioned to a man to his left, then nodded toward the wall.

I could smell her.

I had tried hard not to look at that spot on the concrete in the cellar, but I had noticed...and smelled it from up top. It was her blood, I just didn't know if it was old or fresh from so far away.

"Sheriff! Call an ambulance!" One of the deputies screamed.

"What's going on?!" He answered, pulling his radio from his belt.

"There's a girl here! We can't get the wall off of her!"

Cassia.

I ran, breathless, over to the wall and began pulling it away from the tree. Sure enough, Cassia's scent began stronger from behind it. She was trapped behind this huge hunk of garbage.

"Theo! Wait for the fire department!" The sheriff scolded, and I whirled around to face him. "She might not have time to wait!" I yelled, "She could be getting slowly crushed!"

"We...don't even know if she's alive, Theo."

I stormed up to face him directly, and the deputies around held their guns up. "Relax!" The sheriff said to them, then met my eyes. "She's alive," I growled, "I can hear her heartbeat. But it's faltering. You want to lose a civilian by waiting too long?"

"Where is your pack, Theo? They could help you. If you do it alone, you could accidentally kill her yourself." He said, his withered face tightening sternly.

"I have no damned pack," I hissed, "what I do have is Cassia. Now, stay out of my way."

I tromped back to the wall and starting pulling again, letting anger fuel my strength. The wall crackled and complained, but I kept a hold on it. I dug my feet into the ground, giving myself a little extra brace.

After a minute, the wall gave way and came falling toward me. I dashed out of the way, letting it hit the ground, and turned to look at Cassia. For the first time ever, my heart broke.

She looked so small and helpless, and on death's doorstep. Blood ran down one side of her face from an open wound somewhere on her scalp, her shirt was torn and soaked in red. I couldn't gather every bit of damage that she'd taken, but I could tell it was a lot.

"Cassia?" I asked softly, bending down and removing leftover debris from her legs and feet. She was completely unconscious. She didn't make a single move as I spoke to her, not even the flutter of her eyes. "Don't move her," The sheriff said, "The EMTs will be here in two minutes."

I reached out and touched her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin underneath my fingers. "I promise, when we get out of this, I will take care of you." I murmured to her. I gently took one of her cold hands and pressed it to my mouth, inhaling her scent.

Finally, the wails of the ambulance bounced off of the trees and they appeared behind the cop cars. Within seconds, three people were out, opening the back doors and retrieving a stretcher.

A man from the fire department assessed her, and made sure she was okay to be moved. When he gave the signal, two men came over and gently picked her up, placing her on the stretcher. As they moved her, she woke enough to give a pained groan, but went back to sleep as they steadied her.

I walked after them, watching them place her in the back. As one backed out, I climbed inside. "Whoa, whoa," he said to me, "only family can ride with her."

"I'm her boyfriend, and I'm all she's got. If that isn't good enough, deal with it or run back to the hospital outside of the vehicle." I growled. He didn't seem pleased, but I could also tell that he didn't want to try me on it.

The ride back was short enough, and both the EMT and I kept a steady watch on her. As they opened the doors to the hospital entrance, she stirred again, this time finding me almost immediately with her eyes.

"Theo." She softly croaked. "I'm here," I said, taking her hand.

Tears welled up in her eyes and fled from the corners. Softly, I wiped them away, and gripped her hand to take some of her pain. "Don't," she whispered, sharply inhaling when she attempted to squeeze my hand, "If...if you take it, I...will fall back to sleep."

"You need to," I said, "You've got a lot of injuries."

"Need...to tell...you." She whispered groggily, but I began taking her pain anyway. She could talk later, right now, she needed to sleep and heal.

Once inside, Melissa met us by the front desk. "Thank God, you found her." She sighed in relief.

"Luckily. Your damn husband almost cost her life." I said darkly.

"Chris did what he had to," she said, "and we don't have to worry anymore that she'll hurt anyone else. Now, let's get her into a room."

I followed them into a vacant room and watched as they moved her onto the bed. Once they left and the room was less crowded, I sat in the chair beside her. Melissa started an IV in her hand and clipped a monitor onto her index finger.

"I will come back in a few minutes with a wheelchair. She needs to get an X-ray and a CT to make sure there's no head trauma or broken bones. I'm going to stitch her up real quick and wrap her wrists before that." She told me. I nodded, then leaned forward against her bed.

Just like at her house, her breathing soothed me. It was a miracle just to hear it, considering she had almost died.

A few minutes later, Melissa came back, rolling a wheel chair into the corner of the room. She sat down and stitched up Cassia's side once again, then a place that ran along her hairline. It hadn't been as drastic as it had looked, but it had been deep.

"Okay, you can't come along for her other procedures, but as soon as they are done, I will return her to this room for your watchful eye." She said, light teasing in her tone. I nodded, but I didn't feel like the teasing. What had happened had been too close a call for my liking.

It took a while for the other things to happen, as she was returned to her room two hours later.

"Okay," Melissa said, sighing heavily after restoring Cassia to her bed, "Good news is that she doesn't have any internal bleeding anywhere, which by itself is a blessing. Bad news is that she has a fractured clavicle, and is more than likely concussed."

I sighed in relief myself. "What can you do for her?" "Well, normally, sleeping wouldn't be ideal for a patient with a concussion, but seeing as there is no additional head trauma and she's been sleeping anyway, I don't see the point in waking her. As for her clavicle, the doctor is going to splint her arm and put it in a sling so it can heal back. She's going to need constant looking after for a while. She has got some serious rope burn on her wrists, and she doesn't even need to think about popping another stitch."

"Don't worry," I told her, "she is never going to leave my sight again."

 ****Cassia is going to make it and the creature is dead! Beacon Hills is safe again! Will update again soon! Thanks for reading!****


	38. Chapter 38: A Partial Fairytale

The soft murmuring of voices woke me from my slumber. Slowly, I opened my eyes to see where I was. No one was looking at me, but my room was filled with my friends.

Who knew how long I had been here, but it was obvious that I had been cared for, as I felt the guaze on my skin and the pull of the stitches. Cora stood in the corner, giving Liam a warning look as he was about to open his mouth to say something.

Theo sat in the chair beside my bed, his fingers laying on mine gently, but his head was turned facing Liam, so I assumed they were bickering about something stupid. Mason and Corey sat on the empty bed to my other side, chatting quietly with each other.

"She's awake." Cora said, and they all came to stand around my bed.

"Guys." I tried to get out, but my voice was scratchy and I had to clear my throat. That's when fire rocketed up my collarbone and into my shoulder and back. A splint had been placed there, which meant I had probbaly broken my shoulder or something around there.

"Try not to move too much," Theo said, leaning in closer so his elbows rested on the mattress. "What happened?" I asked, accepting I would just have to sound as if I had screamed for hours on end.

"Well, the wyvern is dead." Cora said, sitting at the foot of my bed, "Everyone is okay. You're the one who took the most damage. You're lucky to be alive."

"You're going to be alright." Theo interjected, grasping my hand lightly. I looked to him, reaching over with my left hand to stroke his face. He grabbed that hand and held it there, looking up at me from under his lashes.

"I almost didn't make it out of there." I said, looking back to Cora. "We noticed. They found you under debris maybe thirty feet from the cellar." She replied.

"But the wyvern is dead? Like, she didn't get away?" "No, Argent killed her with the arrow we had hidden. Shoved it right in her heart." Liam said.

I sighed, relief flooding through me. She would not hurt another person ever again.

Melissa knocked on the door, then entered, her smile lighting up her face when she saw me. "Oh, good, you're awake, Cass!"

"How long was I out?" I asked. "About eighteen hours. But you needed it." She replied. "Eighteen hours?" I gasped.

"Your body requires a lot of healing time, most of which is done during sleep. It was good that you slept that long. You need to sleep like that every night for the next couple of weeks in order to jumpstart getting back on your feet." Melissa teased.

I chuckled, then looked around to all of the people in my room. I felt emotional as I looked over every one of them. No longer just my friends, but my family.

"It's about time for us to head out," Liam said, "but we will come see you again tomorrow, Cass. You get some more rest, okay?" I nodded, then squeezed the hand he had placed in mine as farewell. Mason and Corey each gave me a kiss on the cheek and Cora hugged me.

Melissa gave me some meds, then quietly left the room with them all.

Now, it was just Theo and me.

I looked at him then, and found him staring at me. "You scared the hell out of me." He admitted and I chuckled, "Sorry, was a little too busy trying to stay alive to let you know things were okay."

"When I found you under that wall, I didn't know if you were going to make it." "I almost ran out of time. When I finally managed to get the ropes off, I had ten seconds to get out. The last thing I coherently remember is trying to push the wall away." I said.

"That stupid bitch could talk the whole time. She just used you to try and play with our heads. She lied about how much time we had. Cass, you could have died. What would I have done?" He said, shocking me. This was the most sappy he had ever been.

"You would have moved on, like Theo Raeken does." I replied, gently touching his face again. "No, I don't think I would have this time." He responded, gripping my hand tightly before pressing a soft kiss to my guaze covered wrist.

Then I remembered my one solid drive to get out of that cellar. I hadn't said the words yet, had I? But would he accept them? I supposed that there was only one way to find out.

"Theo?" I said, and he looked up. "I got out of there, because I had to tell you some things. First off, I'm so sorry that I ran from you, back at the creek."

"You don't have to apologize for that." He said, but I could see that the memory hurt him. "I do. I was too busy trying to convince myself that you were all bad that I ran over the fact that you would never hurt me." I said, then leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Carefully, I scooted over and he crawled into the bed beside me, wrapping his arms protectively around me without hurting my wounds. "I will always be a bastard, even to you at times." He said, laying his head on top of mine, "But I won't hurt or kill you."

"Then that's good enough for me. However, part two of my confessions is a little harder to say." I said, looking up at him. "Then rest on it." He suggested.

"No, because the last time I decided to rest on it, I almost died. You would have never known. I can't waste another second on what ifs. I..." I swallowed hard, then placed my hand on his cheek, "I love you, Theo."

Something in his eyes went wild, but I was unsure as to whether or not it was good or bad until he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

I returned his kiss, but had to jerk free when my shoulder got bumped, disturbing my hurt collarbone. "Sorry." He said, then brushed his thumb across my cheekbone, "You're the only one who has had the power to hurt me, and you're damn good at it. Try to be gentler in the future."

I smiled, and kissed him again.

"And by the way?" He said as I settled into his arms again to get some sleep.

"I love you too."

 _ **~Theo POV~**_

I had expected to cringe inwardly, or for the words to taste wrong. But all of it had come naturally with Cassia. No one else would ever hear the words that I had murmured to her. No one else would make me feel the way I did about her.

I had been given something that I had never acknowledged, wanted or wished for. That didn't mean I would stop being me, or that I would turn into your everyday sappy, original Prince Charming, but it did mean that I had someone who would give me a run for my money and would be my mate, my partner, for the rest of our lives.

With Cassia, I wasn't her outcast, her enemy or even her ally. I was just her Theo.

I laid her gently aside as I got up from her hospital bed to let her sleep. I had a few things to take care of, first thing being checking my email again to confirm my employment. I had gone and retrieved a few of her things from her house while she had been asleep before, one of them being her laptop.

Opening it and signing in, I was almost to my email when a notification popped up with Damian's name on it. I clicked on it and read it, seeing that he had backtracked now, going a state back from where he had been before. Cassia would be relieved I knew, and I deleted it.

Once I finished with that, I went for a drive. I thought about all I needed to do to try and make this life with her work, without messing it up with my past. Thankfully, with what I would be making soon, I would be able to move us out of that house she was currently living in in no time.

She deserved a better house than a single bedroom place.

Then I went on to the next thing on my mind, and probably the one I disliked the most: marriage. She had told me at one point that if it wasn't somewhere in our future, then she wasn't sure if it would last. I would never say 'I love you' to someone I would intentionally lose, but hopefully she would let the idea rest for a while.

If push came to shove, I'd bring up a proposal soon, but I figured we'd just have to see what happened. Right now, all she needed to focus on was healing and getting better. She wouldn't like it, because I know that I wouldn't, but she was going to be babied for a while.

My phone went off, bringing me out of my dark pit of thoughts. Liam's name was on it, which confused me, considering I had seen him no more than three hours before. He knew I could only take so much of him a day.

"What." I said into the phone. "Have you asked her about her parents' killer yet?" He said. "I have a sneaking suspicion that she's been through enough recently, so to answer your question, fuck no. What the hell Liam, you think I'm going to bombard her with her painful past as soon as she's back in my arms? I'm not you."

"Okay dick, you could have just said 'no'. Ask her soon, this guy may be more dangerous than we thought. Have you heard what this guy has done?" "I know he killed her parents. That's really all I want to know. He's after her still."

"Yeah, because she's the only survivor that ever evaded him. I was talking to Sheriff Stilinski and he said this guy is like a wraith. No matter what, he always slips through their fingers, even if he gets caught. And he always leaves a trail of dead bodies."

"That's enough." I demanded, "I've had my fill of your annoying voice today."

He was protesting, but I hung up anyway and turned my phone off. Liam always knew when I had an ounce of happy in me, and he always found a way to ruin it.

Growling, I made an illegal U-turn and headed back to the hospital. My ride had been long enough and I wanted to guard her anyway.

 ****I know it's very short this time, but there are only a couple of chapters left after this one! Yes, the end of Path of Destruction is coming, but fear not! Cassia and Theo's story is not over. There will be a 2nd 'book' to this! Thank you all for joining me in this, I appreciate your reads, follows, favorites and reviews!****


	39. Chapter 39: Bliss

_**~One Month Later~**_

"This seems like a pretty good spot." I pointed out to Theo. It had taken me a few days, but I finally convinced him that the shelter of my home wasn't the only place I had to be.

"Besides," I had told him, "you haven't even taken me on a real date yet."

The sunshine warmed my skin, and already I felt livelier. A breeze blew through the big oak tree we were under, shaking free what few leaves were left. I thought back to this time last year, when I was on my way to Beacon Hills. How scared I had been, and how I had planned to pass this place as a shadow, a figment of the imagination.

Now, I was watching the man I loved spread a blanket on the ground so that we could eat deli rotisserie chicken together under a balding oak tree. I had one fear still, and that was my brother, but he had been going around in the dark last I saw.

"Come on," Theo said, reaching over to me and gently taking my uninjured arm. He helped me sit down without bumping my splint and then sat beside me. "I can't wait to have this thing off." I complained.

"You have at least three weeks left," he reminded me, "which means you're still going to be babied. Now shut up and eat your lunch."

I giggled and plucked a fresh green grape from its vine. I plucked another and pushed it into Theo's mouth. "I can feed myself." He said around the bite. "And?" I asked, "Also, don't speak with your mouth full, it's a total turn off."

My teasing made him smile and he pushed a paper plate into my free hand. I put what I wanted on it, then leaned back against the tree trunk, feeling the tension of being cooped up leave me as the air rushed around me.

"So, this is what you consider a date?" Theo asked out of the blue. "I consider a date to be whatever we do together." I said.

"Oh yeah, because that hospital stay was really romantic and all." He scoffed. "Dates don't have to be fancy, but no, the hospital stay was not one. However, I'm glad you stayed with me. But hey, maybe when my collarbone has healed, we can do something _you_ consider fun."

"In case you haven't realized, I'm not the 'fun' type." He replied, chewing his bite of a roll.

"That doesn't mean you can't try bowling." I pushed. "Bowling? Like, rolling a heavy ball toward pins? That's what you think is fun?" He asked.

"You're such a baby," I said, laughing, "you only don't like it because you haven't tried it." "Who says I haven't?" "It's written all over you damn face, Theo."

He shook his head in exasperation and took another bite of food.

"I realize that you haven't had a normal childhood." I said, watching his face tighten with tension, "What happened after your sister?"

"A lot. I couldn't exactly go back home and face my parents. I stayed with the Dread Doctors, remember the ones I told you about in the hospital? I was their first succesful Chimera."

"Seems like a hard life. I'm sorry." I said. "No harder than yours, and I did mine to myself."

I let him finish eating, then carefully laid down in his lap. I played with a small wildflower I had picked moments before, twirling it between my thumb and index finger. Theo's fingers ran through my hair as he watched the treeline closely.

"Theo, you're so on guard." I commented. "Never know when we'll have to save this town's ass again." He tossed back. "You need to relax." I said, putting my hand on his chest and waiting for him to look at me.

"This is our first real date. Shouldn't we be paying more attention to each other?" I said, and winked at him. His smile spread over his face, making warmth travel through my limbs.

He leaned down and put his lips on mine. "Technically, we're an official couple, considering you said you loved me already." He teased, breaking the kiss. "You said it back, and we were kind of already together before I broke up with you at the bridge."

"Tell me something," he said, "when you were told that I killed Tara, you reacted differently than a normal person would have. Like, you took it personally. Why?"

A knot formed in my stomach. I supposed that it was time to tell him the truth, considering we had talked about everything else from the Dread Doctors to Le Bete, and the guy he had taken pain from for the first time.

"It's hard to talk about." I admitted, turning my attention back to the flower. "And nothing I told you was for me?" He asked, pushing my hand down to my chest with his. He looked directly into my eyes, so there was no getting out of it.

I sighed.

"Damian is my brother." I said, images of my childhood flashing before my eyes.

Theo's eyes bored into mine. "The psycho maniac and serial killer is your biological _brother_?" He asked incredulously. "This is exactly why I didn't say anything before." I mentioned, sitting up from his lap. Theo's hand shot out and kept me in my place, but I didn't face him.

"I'm not disgusted, if that's what you think. I'm just shocked. You grew up around this monster? He killed his parents, and now he's hunting you. Your brother... No wonder you left the bridge in a hurry. I reminded you of _him_."

"Not anymore!" I rushed to assure him, "Just then. All I saw was a man who had killed his sister, and then my parents' came to memory and I couldn't handle it."

"And you've been running from him for years, under a fake name. I think I admire you even more now." "It's not something I'm proud of, Theo, and you shouldn't be either."

"Well hell, you're one of the best survivors I know of, and that's saying something. If that's not something to be proud of, I don't know what is." "I don't mean my survival. I mean the reason why I have been made to survive."

"You don't have to worry about it anymore." He said, gently pulling me into his arms, "He isn't going to hurt you, not as long as I'm around to stop him."

"Thank you. I love you." I said, pulling his face to mine gently.

"That reminds me," he said after our kiss had ended. I sat back and he reached into his back pocket and fished out a tiny, red velvet covered box. My breath left me. Could it be...?

"Hope you'll forgive me for not kneeling." He said, and opened the box. Inside was a silver ring with a small, dark blue gemstone in the middle. He set it in my lap and kept his eyes solely on the little box. "I won't go into details. But know that I've thought long and hard about this, and had to do a lot of convincing myself."

I took the box into my trembling hands, gazing at the beautiful ring inside and knowing what it meant, what he was asking me.

"You...want to marry me?" I asked, carefully touching the smooth silver band and the tiny, deep blue stone that winked in the rays of sunlight that shone through the branches.

"Sure, why not?" He answered, a teasing tone in his voice. I met his eyes, then handed the box back. "Well, if you're not going to kneel, the least you can do is slide the ring on." I said, smiling at him.

He laughed, then picked the ring out of the box and took my hand, flawlessly sliding the ring onto my finger. I admired it from afar on my hand, then looked to him again. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"I love you," he stated, pulling me back to him, "and I hope I'm not dashing any dreams, but let's keep this small, okay?" "None are dashed. A big wedding would only announce to Damian where I was. Court house?" I replied.

"Perfect."

 _ **~Two Weeks Later~**_

"Would you relax? You're going to ruin my hard work." Cora said, pinning my hair back with bobby pins.

"Sorry," I said nonchalantly, straightening my white sundress for the fiftieth time. "It's just Theo. He's not even wearing a tux, he's wearing blue jeans and a white button up." She commented, forcing the last pin into place.

"It's my wedding day! Who cares what he looks like! I'm just nervous about this big ceremony." I said. "Big?! It's Melissa and Argent, me, Corey, Mason and Liam. And the pastor." She tacked on. "We didn't want to draw attention, plus, we're not exactly family people, okay? You guys are it."

"Even my brother wore a tux when he married my sister-in-law," she mumbled under her breath and I chuckled. "Anyway," she continued, "when you hear the music start, just begin walking down the aisle. Nothing fancy." She said, then walked out the door.

I took a deep, shaky breath, and clutched my small bouquet of fake pink lilies close, awaiting the cue of music to begin my ascent up the aisle to my fiance.

After what felt like a million years, I heard the trill of Pachelbel's Canon start. I took the first step into the aisle and met Theo's eyes, feeling a smile come across my face.

Just a few steps later, I was at his side and repeating every word that the pastor said. After the ceremony was over, Theo pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply.

After all was said and done, we had pizza at the gazebo in the park with everyone and talked until the glow of evening brought forth the deep purple sky of nighttime.

Theo and I made our way back to our house, a new, two bedroom apartment that we'd planned to move in to today after the wedding. As he opened the truck door for me, he scooped me up into a bridal style hold.

I laughed, holding onto him. "This was completely unnecessary." I told him. "Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to hold you, now could I?" He said, then pushed the door open with his foot and carried me over the threshold.

"Wow, I had forgotten how open it was." I said as he sat me down. I walked over and sat down on the new couch, bending so that I could take off the ballet flats I had worn pretty much all day. Theo settled beside me, and went to take off his boots as well.

"Want something to drink?" I asked. "Yeah," he said, and I stood and walked into our kitchen, retrieving a cool bottle of champagne from the fridge. "Why a girly drink?" He asked as I sat down on the couch again, putting my tired feet in his lap.

"I don't exactly want to pass out drunk on my wedding night." I teased him, pouring two glasses halfway full with the bubbly, white liquid. Theo took his glass and clinked it to mine, then took a swig, and I followed it.

"Pretty good," I said. "Yeah, for a wannabe soda." He said. I rolled my eyes, and set my glass on the floor. I pushed myself into his arms and pressed my lips to his jawline.

He turned, pressing his mouth to mine in a deep kiss. It felt so good to be in his arms, and without worry of having to quit what we were doing.

As if he'd read my thoughts, he broke the kiss for a second to ask, "Going to stop me anytime soon?"

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him to me possessively.

"Never again." I promised.

 ****Thank you all for reading! The next chapter will be the final one for this story, and then fanfic #2 will be in the works! I have loved writing this and want to thank all of you again for putting time into reading it, because I do appreciate it so much! Hope you all have a great day!****


	40. Chapter 40: Welcome To Beacon Hills

_**~Three Months Later~**_

I kicked the door open and attempted to catch my breath. I sat down my bags of a few groceries I had had to run to pick up before Theo got home for his dinner and pulled the key from the lock so I could close the door.

Our beautiful apartment was full of life now, with everything decorated just the way we liked. I took my full bags back into the kitchen, unloading all the things onto the counter and putting them in separate piles for different cabinets. At the last bag, I felt knots kink in my stomach.

I pulled out the bag of flour, the tube of toothpaste and finally the thing I had run into town for in the first place. The item that made me feel even sicker to my stomach.

A pregnancy test.

I had been having waves of nausea roll through me the last couple of weeks, and though I didn't believe I was pregnant, I just wanted to make sure so that I could convince myself. Theo and I had both agreed that if we ever did decide to have a kid, it would be when we were closer to forty and certainly after Damian was not a problem.

I pushed the flour into the pantry and took the toothpaste and test into the bathroom to set down until I was ready to face it. I knew I had time, because Theo was on one of his leisure days. He took that time to drive or visit the bridge or whatever he liked to do. He had adopted the days as a way to relax from the demands of his job, and perhaps a little of being a husband.

No one told you how life changed once you got married, or how to prepare for it. It was difficult constantly thinking about your significant other and changing things you had been used to before. But, as we had discussed before, we hadn't regretted it.

My life with him would be worth every obstacle we had to climb over.

After I finished sipping a little juice to help calm the waves of sickness in my belly, I sighed and pushed myself off of the couch. That test wasn't going to take itself, and the longer I waited, the worse I would feel. Once it popped up negative, I would feel better and perhaps get motivated to dust the living room.

I walked up the stairs to our second story and, silly as it was, locked the door behind me. After taking the test, I washed my hands and left the bathroom to straighten up the kitchen while I waited.

Anxiously, I sat down on the couch and watched an episode of my favorite show, but decided ten minutes into it that I couldn't stand waiting around any longer, and began the walk back upstairs.

The test sat by itself on the sink counter, and I picked up the box to read what I should look for. I glanced back down to the test, but didn't get the chance to look back at the box.

Two...pink...lines.

There couldn't be two! _One_ meant negative, two meant positive!

Panicked, I traced back to when it possibly could have happened. Theo and I had kept a clean record, all except for...

That one single night.

No, no, no! I wasn't ready to be a mom! Theo wasn't ready to be a dad! Damian was still in the picture. What if this baby was supernatural like Theo?

A million things spun my head around in circles, and I felt lightheaded. I sat down on the closed toilet lid with the test, staring at it like it would change the results. I couldn't have a baby...I just couldn't.

But I couldn't have an abortion either.

Perhaps it was defective. I wouldn't even have to mention it to Theo, maybe I could just take the second test in the box, get a negative result and take the matter to Melissa.

A while later, I took the second test, but I watched in horror as both lines came up again. No doubt about it.

Pregnant.

How could I have allowed us to be so stupid. I had been unsure if that one night would make a difference, but he had insisted. I should have just said that we should wait until I could run down to the store.

I wrapped the second test and box up in the grocery bag and stuffed it deep into the garbage can in the kitchen and saved the first. Theo would have to know eventually.

How in the world were we going to do this? We hadn't been married for long, just three months, and our home was far from baby proof. Would we have the money to have this baby?

...What if it turned out like my brother?

The thought sickened me. The child I carried within my body shared genes with this monster maniac. Would it one day also rise up to slaughter me?

I was on the verge of a panic attack when frantic knocking on my door startled me out of my thoughts. I rushed over and unlocked it.

Cora flew by me, slamming the door back and locking it again.

"Cora, what the hell-" I began, but she interrupted me, pulling me to the couch. "Cassia, you need to pack up a few things and you and Theo need to go to the sheriff station, right now." "What on earth are you talking about?" I asked, covertly pushing the test into my pocket to hide.

"It's Damian," she said, out of breath, "an officer in the first town over the border reported seeing him cross into California this morning. He's in Beacon Hills."

No...

First the pregnancy, and now this! Terror ripped through me. I knew we should have moved on from here, at least for a little while. But now, it was too late. Trying to leave now would focus his attention on me, and it would be fatal.

"Cora?" I asked shakily, "I need to call Theo, can you please stay here until I reach him?" "Yeah, but make it quick, we're trying to find a temporary safe house for you two, and I can't dawdle. After I leave, you must stay inside until someone comes for you and lock the doors, okay?" She said, and I nodded, taking my cell from my pocket.

It bumped against the test, making me feel even sicker, and with trembling fingers, I dialed Theo's number. It rang five times before going to voice mail. Panicking, I dialed again. Same result.

My panic gave way to anger. Damian could be here at any second and he wasn't answering!

Frustrated I flung the phone into the wall, shattering it on impact.

I stood there, shocked. Even at my angriest, I'd never used that much force before. It had to be the pregnancy. I had noticed lately that with my nausea had come emotional swings, but I had blamed in on menstration.

Great. This was going to be the family reunion of the century. My murdering brother, my new husband, myself and this kid. One big happy family.

Shuddering, I made sure the test was deep in my pocket once more and went out to Cora. "He's not answering. I hope nothing is wrong." I fretted. "He's fine, trust me. Theo is a smart son of a bitch. Anyway, you stay here, and you keep the doors locked tight. Don't answer anyone. I will call your _house_ phone when we have some arrangements." She answered, nodding toward the kitchen where my cell lay in pieces.

I nodded, then locked the door behind her as she left.

Where was Theo? I had to hope he came home quickly.

I decided that since I probably wasn't going to sleep much for the next few months, I might try to take a nap to relax. Stress wasn't good...for me or the baby.

I crawled into our bed and covered my entire body with the comforter, like that would somehow shield me from the danger on my doorstep. I cleared my mind and relaxed my body one part at a time.

I must have crashed at some point, because I awoke to insane banging on my front door. My heart leapt into my throat. Damian.

Tears sprung to my eyes, but I dashed them away with my hand and crept downstairs. I took a carving knife from a drawer in the kitchen and slipped quietly into the living room. There was no way to see outside the window, and I didn't have a peephole. All I could do was hope he didn't get in.

Blows landed hard on the door, splintering a piece from the inside and my stomach filled with dread. I had to brave this, and let whoever it was in before they came in anyway.

Holding the knife in front of me, I opened the latch. The door flung open with a great _whoosh_ of wind and I gripped the knife tighter and aimed toward the intruder.

"Whoa! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Theo's angry voice snarled.

"Theo!" I cried, dropping the knife and falling into his arms, tears streaking down my face. "Uh...?" He asked, about to wrap his arms around me as well when I remembered how hard it had been to get ahold of him and how bad he had just scared me.

"Where the hell have you been?!" I screamed, "I called you twice and you didn't answer!" I punched him in the chest and away from me.

"I was out, you know, like I told you this morning?" He shot back, "And my phone was on silent. Why the hell did you have the door locked?"

Terror went through me again and I trembled.

"We need to go to the police station." I said, "A patrol officer alerted authorities here this morning. Damian is in Beacon Hills."

Theo's eyes widened and he reached out to hold me. I was too tired to resist, even if I was mad.

"Shit," he said, "this day seriously cannot get worse."

I had been opening my mouth to tell him about the baby, because I figured it would be better to have it out now, but my lips sowed shut with his words.

For now, the baby had to remain a secret.

 ****Well, that's all folks! For THIS story anyway :P I hope you all enjoyed, and are semi-excited about Theo and Cassia's baby! Was it the last thing you expected? How about Damian's appearance? I look forward to Fanfic #2, and hope you all do as well! However, I'm going on a small hiatus to pan some things out, but I will be back! For now, see ya and thanks for everything! Later!****


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